Softer than Scarlet
by VesperChan
Summary: Sakura a girl with a secret life, a secret passion, a secret past. At night she's an underground boxer risking her life or what's left of it, by day a school girl.Will one of her new friends earn her trust and shatter her secrets? Sakuracentric
1. I

AN/ Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert if you enjoyed it.

Disclaimer/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now.

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Chapter One

I

"Somewhere I Belong"

"Just pay and find your seat sir. Thank you," A young man in a tan jacket stated in a dull tone.

Underground men in tan jackets collect money as occupants crowd the piled bleaches. The work was fast and secretive. Underground fights are, after all, illegal. Many of the men and woman in the room made some sort of profit from the underground business and were in no way, ready for that extra income to be brought under justice. That, and virtually everyone in the room had blackmail on their name from the Kazekage and his staff.

The few working lights in the room flickered as vibrating speakers and amps pulsed with music that flooding the entire arena. The stale yellow light fell over a crown of faces, all eager and anxious. The cause of the excitement was a set of opening doors on opposite sides of the room. Breaths were held as shadows were pushed back to illuminate two strong appearing figures emerging on their cue. The music blast out, increasing the tension of the room.

**(When this began)**

**I had nothing to say**

**And I get lost in the nothingness inside of me **

**(I was confused) **

**And I let it all out to find **

**That I'm not the only person with these things in mind **

**(Inside of me) **

**But all the vacancy the words revealed**

**Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel **

**(Nothing to lose) **

**Just stuck hollow and alone **

**And the fault is my own, **

**And the fault is my own...**

The roar of the rowdy crowd flooded a well sized circular room with a caged boxing ring in the middle of it all. The steel beams stood tall and strong, some even dawning splatters of blood from less fortunate occupants. The two entries on opposite sides opened up letting two rivaling opponents enter. Seeing the two fighter enter the ring the roar of the crowd grew louder than before.

Woman and men alike screamed at the top of their lungs with no fear of the shouts escaping the sound proof walls around them. A few men in the tan jackets came off their work shifts to see the fight between champions many had been waiting months for. East met west and tonight only one would walk out with the title Female all Suna champion. The highest the violent desert city had to offer to it's female fighters.

Both figures wore silky robes with hoods pulled down over their faces. One's robe was a dark red while the other one was a navy blue.

The one wearing a navy blue robe tore it off and shouted holding the garment over her head fueling the roar of the crown. She had dirty blond hair gelled into a Mohawk with the rest of it cut short. She had piercing on her lip, eyebrow and nose giving her a cold hard look. She beat her navy blue boxing gloves together eager for a fight. Her skin was nicely tanned from the desert's ever blazing sun and a tattoo of a blue Chinese dragon crossed over her shoulders and disappeared down her back. She looked to be somewhere around the age of twenty, maybe less. You couldn't really tell with all the runing around she was doing. No one could get a good look at her.

The figure in the red robe bent her shoulders back and let the garment fall back onto her wrists. Taking it into one gloved hand she tossed it to the side. The young girl had bright pink hair pulled back into a tight French braid, the twisted locks falling to her shoulders. She cracked her neck from side to side before beating her light pink boxing gloves tighter just like the other fighter had and took her place opposing her opponent. Here eyes were hard but calm, ticking the other girl off a bit.

The roar of the crown died down as the two began to circle. The two pulled their gloves up to their chins while the blond haired girl added a bounce to her steep. The gleam in her eye was so familiar to the pink haired boxer. It was that gleam that shouted 'I'll do anything to win' and Sakura knew this girl would. The navy blue boxer sneered and lunged for Sakura's head missing it just by a hair.

Sakura veered off to one side and jerked to the other, missing an array of fast jabs. In any other fight, the boxers wouldn't be going for your head so publicly, but this was an underground fight. People died in the cage every other night an no one raised a question to the justice of any of it. So you could guess that the illegal fighters were high quality, having to stay alive in such a brutal business.

Sakura dodged and back stepped back from the attacks saving her energy while her opponent threw punch after punch aimed for the head and chest. The tanned boxer physed Sakura out on one attack and landed a perfect blow to Sakura's face sending her reeling back in pain. The girl took this chance to jab her in the rip and punch her till Sakura fell down on to her face, blood pooling down her nose and trailing out of the corner of her face. The lyrics of the sing in the background didn't miss a beat with their irony as the band sang about landing on your face.

**And I've got nothing to say **

**I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face**

** (I was confused)**

** Looking everywhere only to find **

**That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind **

**(So what am I) **

**What do I have but negativity**

** 'Cause I can't justify the way, everyone is looking at me **

**(Nothing to lose)**

** Nothing to gain, hollow and alone A**

**nd the fault is my own, **

**And the fault is my own**

The crowd cheered loudly starting the countdown from 10. Sakura coughed and wiped a bit of blood off her glove and pulled her knees underneath her body. She looked up at the crowd and saw the ones that were her fans cheer her on urging her to get up. She saw the ones that weren't her fans shout at her to stay down. Her opponent only sneered at her as she continued to wave wildly to the crown like she had already won.

The metallic taste of metal tasted bitterly on Sakura's lips as she frowned deeply at the proud display. She wasn't down yet, even though she knew that was a hit that could knock a normal fifteen year old out cold. Her opponent was forgetting that Sakura was not an ordinary fifteen year old girl.

Sakura glared angrily and forced her legs to lift her up. Her opponent turned towards the pink haired boxer as the crown stopped the countdown at 5. The green eyed boxer was quick to ascend to her feet and put some distance between herself and the tanned boxer. This time Sakura was ready for the attacks and dodged them all using as little energy as possible. She held her arms up to block a few blows and when she felt an opening she fired a powerful cross to her opponent's ribs.

The volume of the crowd's cheering only increased ad Sakura could feel everyone's eyes on her. The music continued to blare and Sakura could feel her breathing increase with excitement and adrenalin. Once she really got going, there was little man or woman alike could do to stop her. This was what made her so powerful in her fights.

The music went into an extended mode that allowed the fighters to exceed a three minuet time limit.

The crowd cheered as another shot missed Sakura's head. She counter attacked with a shot to the ribs. The pink haired female was the younger of the two and the clear underdog. Sakura could feel their gazes linger on her willowy form as she side stepped to he right preparing to attack. All eyes were on her as her opponent stumbled back before regaining her footing.

Sakura could clearly recognize the hurt expression on the girls face, but I wasn't her ribs that were hurting as much as it was her pride. Sakura smirked to herself when she saw the other boxer's expression. While she had been waving to the crowd wasting her energy with boosting shouts and cheers Sakura had wisely been saving hers, building it up. Now her opponent had close to nothing left while she was still close to full.

A single bead of sweet rolled down her face snaking down her cheek before falling off her chin. Sakura shook her head a bit, letting another bead of sweet drop. Her body was heating up from the workout and now it wanted to move some more.

There was a clear shot right before her and Sakura took it. Sakura pulled back and let loose one of her famous one shot knock out punches. The fans had dubbed it the five finger death punch, since she used it when she fought without her gloves.

Lunging forward Sakura smiled wildly as her fish connected with the stomach of the tanned woman. Sakura could feel the wind leaving her opponent's chest as the beat boxer gasped out in pain falling forward onto Sakura's glove. Sakura flipped her wrist sending the limp body onto the floor starting the countdown. The crowd was on it's feet now, screaming like no tomorrow. After seven minuets and thirty eight seconnds, it looked like there would be a winner.

...5...

...4.…

...3.…

...2.…

...1!!

They cheered as an opening on the side of the caged ring lifted letting in the girl's medic and a spokesman. Sakura breathed heavily as the song continued to play it's last lines.

**I will never know myself until I do this on my own **

**And I will never feel anything else, until my wounds are healed**

** I will never be anything till I break away from me **

**I will break away, **

**I'll find myself today**

** I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm somewhere I belong **

**I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm somewhere I belong **

**Somewhere I belong...**

The spokesman lifted Sakura's arm up above her head increasing the roar from the crowd. A gold badge was placed around Sakura's neck and she smiled at the female's devision trophy now in her possession. There was no doubt in her mind that she would win. But still, it felt good to finally dominate the east and west side of the desert city.

North and south belonged to the male division and was awarded to a young red haired lad named Sasori of the red sand. Female vs. male fights weren't too popular and never official, so there was no hope of Sakura ever dominating over Sasori of the red sand. On top of that, she knew most males to be stronger than the majority of woman she fought.

The only reason she came so far was her endurance. She could take a hit that would normally kill a person.

Her friend Tamari came up with a bright smile and helped the tired boxer untie her pink glovs. "I so knew you would win."

"We all did, I think," Sakura replied as her friend undid the laces. "I'm just disappointed that Gaara and Kankoro had to miss this."

"I know. And they feel just terrible about it. Gaara was ready to kill someone when he heard you were going up against Azuel, the blue dragon of the east. The last fight she was in, they found a rusted nail in her glove. Her opponent died from the poison a few days later."

"You know I wouldn't let something like that touch me. Poison or no poison."

"Yeah, well she had you there for a good five seconds. I though I was going to pass out from worry. I though you were really hurt."

"I was," Sakura replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Remember the blood?"

"I mean really hurt. Like, no getting up hurt," the blue eyed girl replied, handing Sakura her gym bag and pink gloves.

"Come on Tem, you know that's not me. I wouldn't fall down like that in front of all these people. I'm never making that mistake again."

"I know, I just keep seeing you two years ago, rolling into the hospital with blood all over your face. Can you blame me for wanting to look out for my younger sister?"

Sakura smiled and slung the gym bag over her shoulder. "I guess not. But I did make a full recovery and was able to fight in another three weeks again."

Temari lost her smile then and Sakura heard the older blond sigh deeply. "You were a really good street dancer. It's so much safer. Won't you quit this and came back to dance with me?"

Sakura smiled but shook her head. "I know fighting isn't your thing, but it's mine. I love dancing, but this pays better and I'm good at it. Maybe one day, but for now, this is where I'm heading."

"But you've dominated all of the Suna female fighters. You're the best of the best as of today. You have no one else to beat," the blue eyed female stated with a index finger raised in the air.

Sakura stood still, a moment in though. Looking down she replied with a quit voice. "I'll think this over. Right now I just want to go home and rest."

"Okay Saku, I'll see ya' around."

Sakura raised a slightly shaken hand in farewell and exited the dome, coming out to a small crowd of men and woman congratulating her success. After a few handshakes and thanks, Sakura walked away from of the ring, only stopping at the booth near the door where a man handed her a heavy wad of cash. Her winnings. With a grateful nod and a quick thanks for the congratulations, the pink haired boxer stuffed into her gym bag along with her pink boxing gloves.

Temari waved from the group of female dancers she was friends with and Sakura waved as well before pulling a hooded jacket over her red and white tank top.

Alone on the streets, The blond's words kept repeating in her head.

_"But you've dominated all of the Suna female fighters. You're the best of the best as of today. You have no one else to beat,"_

Sakura glanced back over her shoulder at the empty street she walked many a time. It seemed to be he same thing over and over again, so routine. She fought, she won, she went home. She needed to break the mold, she needed to leave.

"I think it's time I moved." She mused walking out into the dark streets of the desert city. "I don't belong here."

The hooded girl's name is Sakura and she is a underground fighter.

The burn mark of a leaf on her shoulder proves that.

It's a mark that ties her forever to the world of drugs and blood.

A world of darkness that will always cling to her like a personal shadow.

Another normal day in the City of Fire. The breezes were calm, the temperature warm and soothing. On the surface everything seemed so normal and peaceful. You would never except such a day would harbor a surprise that would rock the underground organization like there was no tomorow.

A girl with long, bleached blond hair pulled back into a ponytail skipped into the classroom with a giddy smile on her lips and squealed when she saw who she was looking for.

"Sasuke kun!" she cried, skipping up to the back of the classroom where a dark haired boy with piercing onyx eyes sat slouched in his seat. "Hi Sasuke kun how are you today?"

The said boy only grunted a 'hn' without even looking up at the second annoying blond.

The first annoying blond was, believe it or not, his best friend Naruto. He was sitting next to him with a pair of large headphones slipped over his ears. He had bright cerulean eyes and a messy mass of blond hair framing his cheerful face. A pair of knife scars lined his cheeks giving him a foxy appearance. His uniform was messy, with the jacket open, his shirt ruffled, and his tie loosely hanging around his neck.

Naruto was sitting on Sauke's right side while the ever calm Neji sat the left of the Uchiha.

Neji was wearing a light green jacket over a plain white shirt that matched his pearly white eyes. His tie was neatly in place around his neck as he sat properly. His long chocolate brown hair was pulled back at the end with a white headband wrapping around his forehead. He also 'hn-ed' Ino before closing his eyes once again.

"Sasuke I have to tell you what Shikimaru found out Friday night when he was cleaning out he principle's office for detention!" Ino squealed, sitting down backwards in front of the dark eyed boy.

He only raised an eyebrow signaling her to continue.

"He was cleaning up the papers on his desk when he saw acceptance papers!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Naruto asked, pulling off his headphones and entering the conversation. Ino had a bad habit of speaking over his music whenever he didn't want her voice in his head.

"Were, getting a transfer student!" Ino squealed happily.

"Ino you know that it most likely not true, most likely just a rumor," Neji sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"No, it's true! Shikimaru saw the papers," Ino protested with a pout. "I hope it's a cute guy."

"Ino no one wants to come to this school," Naruto laughed. "It's too close to...you know."

"But he saw them," the blue eyed blond girl whined pouting a bit. She was looking forward to impressing Sasuke with her info. This was the edge she needed to beat that Karin girl that was always drooling of Sasuke. How dare the red haired, glasses wearing freak of nature breath the same air as Sasuke kun!

"Ino, no one is transferring to our school," Sasuke finished with a deep velvety voice that would send females of all ages swooning.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than their teacher, Iruka walked in. "Good morning class I have some very interesting news that I think you'll all find exciting."

A few student's shifted in their seats giving their teacher heir full attention.

"From now on we'll be having a transfer student!"

Sasuke's jaw dropped followed by Naruto's and Neji's. Ino was doing a little victory dance in her seat.

"Her name is Harouno Sakura and she came all the way here from Suna. I hope you all make her feel welcomed." he stated with a cheerful grin.

As soon as he said her name a girl with perfectly almond shaped emerald eyes and cherry pink hair tied up in a messy bun entered the room. She was wearing a red and navy blue striped shirt with long sleeves that were solid blue and a pair of baggy black pants. She was wearing at least four different necklaces and a hooded black jacket with a red patchwork bunny on the back. She must still be waiting for her uniform to arrive like all the first timers, so her choice of clothing was fine with the rest of the teachers.

"Would you like to tell us something about yourself, since you're new and do not know anyone?" Iruka asked.

There was a brief moment of silence after the question was asked, causing almost everyone in the class the believe she would say nothing. But after a few seconds she parted her lips and began to speak in a polite, elegant tone.

"Hello, my name is Harouno Sakura, I am fifteen years old and a second year. I was born in this city but moved away to Suna when I was very young. I hope to get along with everyone her very well."

She nodded to the class and Iruka told her she could find a seat to sit down in. She bowed her head and headed towards the back where she found a seat in the back row tucked away in the coroner. She set her bag down by her feet and rested her head on the back of her hand as Iruka began his lecture.

"Told you." Ino whispered back to the three boys who were just now getting over their shock.

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There it is the first chapter of the NEW and improved 'Softer than Scarlet.' I hope you like the minor changes I made in the first chapter. The rest will be completely redone. (evil laugh) I am looking forward to revamping the whole thing.

And for those of you who are missing Pages of Ecstasy, I'll try to make this as romantically humorous and exciting so you will not be too deprived. I hope you all enjoyed it and will review. I love it when you guys tell me what you want in a story or tell me you like my writing. I really enjoyed writing this and hope to do a lot more with this fic if you like it. You know how easy it is to review it's just click type click. So simple.

Now for the pairings. I know I am redoing this and should have some sort of idea, but ...yeah. You know how it is. I don't have an idea about how I want this to turn out so I want to hear what you guys think. An yes there are other guys I'm introducing in the next chapter. And, No. I won't tell you who they are 'cause I'm mean like that. You need to review.

Ja ne you guys!


	2. II

AN/ Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

Disclaimer/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now.

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Chapter Two

II

Enter Sandman

Sakura curled a finger around a loose ringlet and pushed it back behind her ear, knowing it would fall back in front of her face a few moments later. There are some things you can't fix in the world, only patch up until it's ready to fall again.

Her deep philosophical thoughts were interruptedas a soft hush of muffled giggles over came the females around her. A few of the guys close to her locker backed away and moved to the other side of the hallway. Thinking it nothing, Sakura shrugged her shoulders and returned to the semi empty locker she was getting used to.

That was, until a dark velvety voice snatched her from her thoughts.

"Move." Sasuke was getting annoyed at having to wait for someone else

A bit startled Sakura looked up from her books and frowned. Naruto was walking down the hall next to Sasuke who was next to Neji in a neat line. All the others in the hall parted for them as if they were kings. They were stopped in front of her locker, waiting for her to move for them. What the three were doing walking along the wall where the lockers were and not using the middle of the hallway, Sakura did not know, nor did she wish to know.

It was too early in the morning for someone to be messing with her now. Sakura slowly turned to look to her right and blinked lazily. "Why? Can't you just go around? I'm busy," she replied, annoyed.

Sasuke was taken aback slightly by her defining words Neji and Naruto were both amused that someone, let alone a girl, had the guts to stand up to Sasuke Uchiha. Neither one remembered a girl ever standing up to Uchiha Sasuke without going weak in the knees from fear or yearning.

"Do you know who you're talking to?" he asked in a low, cold tone that sounded like something out of a dramatic movie scene when the main character threatens the helpless villain.

She blinked lazily. "No."

Naruto looked like he was about to fall over laughing at her blunt answer and from the looks of it Neji was slightly amused by the scene. However, their emotions changed to light surprise when they saw the smirk on Sasuke's lips.

"Fine. Then I'll move," he replied walking around her without Naruto and Neji. "And just so you know it's Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura did a mental eye role, only because she lacked the energy and the motivation to pull one off with her sleep deprived eyes. "Whatever," she replied, pulling a few books out and closing her locker before walking past Neji and Naruto.

The loud blond and the pearl eyed boy watched her retreating figure as she headed outside with curiosity in their eyes. Sasuke, however, just watched her with unreadable eyes so, no one knew what he was thinking or feeling towards the events and the pink haired second year.

Shikimaru sighed and lazily pulled his laptop out from his black messenger bag and set it down on the one of the cafeteria's tables turning it on. He sighed heavily for the tenth time that hour as he recalled the favor one of his friends asked him for. His portable computer beeped signaling it was up and running. Cracking his knuckles he let his fingers fly over the keys with seed that only comes with experience. I was amazing his fingers could move that fast since the rest of him was a lazy bum. Harouno, Harouno, Sakura Harouno," he mumbled to himself as a little box opened telling him that he was hacking into the school's records. Yes, Shikamaru was a bad boy when it came to computers and the Internet. He was a skilled hacker and untraceable source of information.

"Here it is. Sakura Harouno, age: 16 height 5'3" weight 102 Date of birth 28 march parents/guardians…whoa that's interesting…" Shikimaru mused, moving back to typing some more on his laptop. Regardless of his actions the big red Confidential' continued to blink as he typed some more on his laptop.

"It looks like information on her parents is completely confidential, and- dang I can't even get into the stupid file. How troublesome. I'll have to go back home and work on this on my base. My laptop can't go up against heavy duty stuff like this," Shikimaru mumbled as he became more interested in what he found out. Deciding to move on, he tried pulling up the rest of her file.

'Sakura Harouno, age: 16 height 5'3'' weight 102 Date of birth 28 march parents/guardians classified Blood type…Classified.

"What is with this chick? This is so troublesome. Moving on, it says she went to Suna Prime high, a privet school for only the best. She's a straight A student except for gym. There she has nothing except Fs. But then what can you expect from a girl. She has a lot of medical classes and first aid classes under her belt. It looks like she was aiming to be a nurse or something but then she stopped about a year ago.

"Deciding this was the best he could do for now, he pulled up notepad and began to manually copy down the information as wall as a personal note at the bottom.

'From the looks of it she probably has no social life to speak of and can't pass gym'

"Well I'm going to get some lunch for myself before heading outside to cloud watch," Shikimaru sighed, closing his laptop and stuffing it back into his bag. "What a drag she's turning out to be."

l

Sakura sighed puling out a plastic container and a bottle of water from her brown paper bag, setting them on her lap. puling out a fork she tossed the brown paper bag into a nearby garbage can. She popped open the lid and squired the piece of cold chicken with her plastic fork. She wasn't too found of vegetables or fruits, preferring meat to anything else, cold or cooked. Chewing on the cold meat she looked around happy to see that she was the only one outside.

She leaned back resting her hands behind her head relaxing only to hear the annoying buzz of her cell phone.

_**Exit light, Enter night. Take my hand,we're off to never never land.**_

Grunting in annoyance pushing the green button before too much of 'Enter sandman' could play. "Moshi moshi," she greeted calmly. She was a little surprised when she heard shouts of bloody murder in the background and the breaking of glass.

"Sakura!" someone screamed panting heavily on the other end of the call.

"Kankuro?" she asked, a little surprised he was calling her and panting like he was. "Kankuro what's wrong, I keep hearing screams of bloody murder in the background. Is everything alright?"

"Where the heck are you? We went to your apartment to cheek on you and the whole place was wiped out and when we went to Baki to ask about you he said you moved out without leaving any forwarding address!"

"So, what's the matter. And why is there screaming?" Sakura asked, wincing when she heard Temari scream in the background again.

"Gaara got mad when we couldn't find you and now he's throwing a hissy fit!" the puppeteer boy wailed as Sakura listened to it all with a calm, uncaring look in her eyes.

"Okay, okay, okay calm down. Put Gaara kun on the phone and I'll talk to him," Sakura replied, picking at another piece of chicken and plopping in into her mouth as calmly as if she were discussing the weather.

There was a brief moment when all Sakura heard was the blue eyed sister of the two boys yell at Gaara to calm down and a few more broken lamps before silence finally settled in. "…Sakura?" the red haired boy asked, now on the phone.

"Hey Panda kun!" she chirped in a sing song voice. "How are you doing?"

"…Sakura…you left," he stated bluntly being the man of few words that he is.

"Yeah, about that I was planning on moving then telling you so you couldn't kill me through the phone lines but I guess you found out a little earlier than I though."

"…Sakura you left without saying goodbye…"

"Panda kun I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry. I didn't think you cared that much," Sakura replied, in a gentle voice, calming the raging redhead down.

"CARE?! You didn't think I would care?! Of course I cared Sakura! I practically went crazy when I found out you left. How dare you think I wouldn't care!" Gaara cried going crazy again.

"I sorry. I hope I didn't scare you too much. I know it was wrong of me to leave without telling you but if I did do you think you would have just let me go?" Sakura waited a while as Gaara remained silent knowing the answer.

"…You could have said goodbye at least. I was worried that something happened to you when we saw your empty apartment Sakura. Why did you leave us?"

Sakura knew when he asked 'us' he really meant him. "Gaara…" her tone was now calm and serious. "…I couldn't stand Suna anymore I had to leave. I was born there and I felt the need to come back, besides I was getting tired of everything in general. I remember what Tamari said to me the night of the fight and decided to act upon it."

"What did she say?"

"And I quote "But you've dominated all of the Suna female fighters. You're the best of the best as of today. You have no one else to beat" end quote." There was an eerie silence and Sakura could practically feel the death glare Gaara was sending to his sister on the other end of the phone. "But don't blame her. It was the truth and I would have noticed it sooner or later."

"…Fine I can understand why you had to leave but I still don't forgive you for leaving without saying goodbye. That was completely unexceptionable behavior on your part."

"Thank you Panda kun," she chirped making him blush on the other line as she used his childhood nickname for him.It was an inside joke between the two of them that had stretched out to his siblings after a few days.

"But…since I can't forgive you we're all going to have to move closer to you."

"What? Gaara kun you don't have to do that!"

"I don't care we are," Gaara replied, his voice hard and firm leaving no room for further argument.

"But you don't even know where I am," Sakura protested, hoping this would stop him.

"…Konoha."

"Kuso how did you know?"

"I made my brother trace you call instead of killing him," he replied coolly.

"Your mean," Sakura huffed, knowing he wasn't lying. Kankoro was good at stuff like that.

"I know," Gaara replied with a evil tone. Sakura just knew he was smirking on the other end of the line.

"Whatever. I have to go, class I'll be starting soon. I'll try and talk to you later but I got to go now."

"...Fine," he grunted in reply.

"Ja ne Panda kun! And don't kill your sister while I'm gone," Sakura chirped before hanging up knowing she was softening his mood for his brother and sister.

Tucking her pink Razor back into her jacket's pocket Sakura continued to finish off her cold chicken before stuffing the empty container into her messenger bag and heading inside the educating building. Licking some of the balsamic vinegar dressing that covered her lunch off her red full lips she smiled enjoying the taste.

Entering the building, she didn't notice the tall red haired boy who was coming around the corner. The result was her bumping into him in a slightly embarrassing manner. "I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, not really getting a good look at his face.

He said nothing as she backed up and started to walk around him at first but eventually called out to her. "Aren't you from...Suna?"

Sakura stopped and turned around. "Yeah, I just transferred. Why?"

The red haired boy tilted his head to one side and Sakura though this made him look handsome in a bishi like way. "I'm Sasori. I've hear a lot about you little cherry blossom."

Sakura green eyes widened as he called her by the nickname she used in the ring. No one outside of the underground circle knew her by that name. Wait, he just called himself Sasori. "Wait, Sasori? As in Sasori of the red sand?"

"The one and only. I had heard that a Suna girl had transferred here, but did not know she was the leading female. It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

"You're really Sasori?" Sakura repeated a bit shocked.

"You looked surprised. Am I not what you had in mind?"

Sakura blushed lightly and took in his tall lean frame with a discreet eye. He looked like a model, not an underground fighter. "Well I truly did not know what to expect. I'm surprised to see you here of all places. I didn't expect you to leave Suna."

"Nor I you, but I can imagine why you left. Tired of the same old scene day after day?"

Sakura laughed lightly at how dead on his words were. "You could say that. So, you left Suna so you could dominate the Leaf side of our world?"

Sasori smirked and Sakura had to hold back the knot in her throat at how handsome he looked. "If I did not know better, I would say the young red fighter is a mind reader. That is exactly why I came here."

Sakura could hardly believe it. The chances of her meeting the most powerful man of the underground fighting world in a city she came to in order to escape the scene. And all the more rare, was that he was here for the same exact reason. What were the chances of something like that actually happening? She doubted they were very high.

"I have to get to class, but I'll see you around again soon. And just so you know, I'll keep an eye and ear open for you if you ever need anything," Sasori offered with a knowing look in his crimson stained eyes. "Though, I can't help but feel the urge to see you in action."

Sakura calmed herself and nodded, knowing what he meant by that. There were gangs here in leaf that could make trouble for a Suna girl. Since Sasori and Sakura both shared the same previous home, they had a honor bound duty to look out for their own kind.

"Same here. Maybe one night I'll get to see you as well, eh?" Sakura replied, keeping her smile small.

"Till then little cherry blossom," Sasori finished with a quick smile and a wave of his hand.

"I'll see you around," Sakura replied before she turned and walked away in the opposite direction, not really knowing where she was going. It was her first day here and the layout of the school is still mostly unfamiliar to her. The small blush on her cheeks was slowly fading away as she willed herself to think of other things. She can't help it if she thinks he really cute. "Don't think or else you'll get lost, Sakura. We don't wanna get lost," She mumbled to herself, knowing she was terrible with directions and had a bad habit of getting lost.

"Darn it. I'm lost." And true to her words Sakura had found herself hopelessly lost in the seemingly endless maze of hallways and rooms. She growled to herself and tried another hallway, finding it led to a set up stairs. Deciding she couldn't get much more lost, she took them. She was only slightly surprised to learn that these stairs led to the roof, where there were obviously no classrooms.

"Well I'm not going to make my next class, might as well wait it out of her until the next one. I'll explain to the teacher how I got lost on the first day. What's the worse they can do? Keep me after class?"

"You would be surprised with the level of punishment the inflict on some of us here," someone called from behind Sakura.

The pink haired boxer turned sharply to see a group of seniors sitting against the back wall. There were three with dark hair and one with what Sakura thought was white. One of the dark haired males appeared to be younger than they rest, by a year or so. The one with white hair had a pair of ear buds in his ears that he started to remove once he spotted Sakura. "So, you're skipping on purpose, even if they beat you?"

The one with dark black haired cut and spiked at his shoulders laughed. "No, they don't beat us. Just work some mind trick and try to scare us. Most kids break easy. Others don't break at all."

"And let me guess, you're one of the ones that don't break."

"Yup, my name's Tobi, nice to meet you! You're that new transfer student from Suna. Sasori said there was someone coming from his city. I didn't think it would be a girl," Tobi replied.

"Funny, I'm almost never what people expect. I get that a lot." Sakura then turned towards the second member of the group and noticed how he was staring at her. He had red eyes and long black hair pulled back in a ponytail. The creases under his eyes made him look like an older version of the Sasuke boy Sakura ran into earlier. "Excuse my asking, but you look a lot like this kid named Uchiha Sasuke."

"No offence is taken, it expected since Sasuke is my younger brother. My name is Uchiha Itachi. What do you think of my brother? You seem to just barely notice him."

"He's a rude jerk from what I can tell. Most likely spoiled, since he's an Uchiha," Sakura replied with a smirk knowing who Sasuke's father was.

Itachi returned the smirk with a small one of his own and Tobi and the last dark haired youth behind him chuckled a bit at her words. The one with white haired just stared blankly at her, as if he was racking his brain for a memory concerning her. "You have guts and good judgment," Itachi stated with a calm even tone. "It's hard to believe someone with your wit came from Suna."

"Well that's because I don't. I was born here and moved out to the desert when I was real little. I'm just coming back to my roots for a while before something else attracts my attention," Sakura commented rubbing her shoulder area where the burn mark of a leaf was engraved into her skin, forever a sign of her secret life. She still remembered the ceremonial like burning that took place when she was but a little girl.

The pale boy who was sitting in the shade behind Tobi peeked up at her statement. "Why did you move to the desert in the first place? Isn't it really hot and uncomfortable?"

"I was tired of this city and all the same old faces. I don't like staying in one place for too long a time. It's just my nature," Sakura replied, recognizing the pale boy as a junior named Sai from one of her advanced classes before lunch.

"It sounds a bit pointless if you ask me. If you are tired of this place, why did you come back?" Sai asked.

Sakura smirked not at all offended by his blunt statement. "You would be surprised at how much can change in seven or six years in a big, up and coming city like this. I didn't want to miss out on too much."

l

* * *

There it is the 2ed chapter of the NEW and improved 'Softer than Scarlet.' I hope you like the minor changes I made in the first chapter and the major ones I made in this one. I know Gaara was still here, but I couldn't loose the one scene with him on the cellphone. I think that was the only good part of the old thing.

Once again, for the pairings. I know I am redoing this and should have some sort of idea, but ...yeah. You know how it is. I don't have an idea about how I want this to turn out so I want to hear what you guys think. An yes there are other guys I'm introducing in the next chapter. And, No. I won't tell you who they are 'cause I'm mean like that. You need to review.

And I don't care how unrealistic it is for Sakura having so many men liking her, it's fiction! She has pink hair for pocky's sake!

Ja ne you guys!


	3. III

AN/ Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

Disclaimer/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now.

* * *

Chapter Three

III

Shaved Ice

Part one of the big bomb

She still had two more classes before she could retreat from the large brick building that felt like a prison to her. I might have been just her but she could have sworn Asuma's words were coming out as slow and boring as humanly possible.

Her fingers twitched, desiring something to twist and strangle. Growling to herself she rubbed her temples trying to keep herself awake. The need for sleep was practically gnawing at her mind. And considering she pulled two all nighters with packing up her home and boxing late at night she deserved some sleep.

_'Screw homework I want sleep. Seventeen straight hours of it'_

She sighed and decided to study her dark red and black checkered nails tuning out of her teacher's ever so droll lecture. It's not like she needed to listen, she probably knew more about ancient Egypt than he did. Next to ancient Greek and Roman studies, Egypt was her favorite. Something about all the mythology they had. All the same, Japaneses history was just as fascinating, as long as it wasn't purely dates and dead guys.

A lot of people might think that because she spends so much time fighting and training physically that she would be a littler slower that the rest of her fellow classmates but it was really the other way around.

Since birth she was blessed with an excellent photographic memory. On top of that she was an avid reader well above her age than never forgot a sentence from her paperbacks and hardbacks. Her gratitude for her gifts only grew when she chose to go into medical.

Her dark emerald green eyes lazily wandered the classroom before drifting up to the old manual clock hanging above the door. She growled checking her own digital black and red Timex watch before whining when she saw there were still fifteen minuets left of her class.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a tingling sensation ran down her spine for the third time that hour. The feeling of a pair of eyes watching her surrounded her like a cold wind making her cringe.

She silently clawed at her desk as a pencil found it's way into her twitching hands. That feeling, of someone else's eyes roaming over her figure, annoyed her to no end. That was the reason she liked to dress in baggy clothing in hopes of discouraging any young males from getting any ideas. Sadly it wasn't working, at least not this time.

The unlucky pencil that was now in her grasp creaked as she chocked it from her blind anger.

'_Can't the ero bakas keep their eyes to themselves?_' she though angrily as the pencil cracked and burst into splintered pieces, falling onto her desk with a light clatter.

The action must have scared whoever was looking at her since the feeling left her.

This was going to be a looooong day.

-

-

The slender cherry pink haired girl was stuffing some of her books into her locker with an annoyed grunt of displeasure, whenever a book would slid back out of the metal compartment.

"So troublesome..." she growled slamming her locker shut with her elbow.

Turning around she was met with the slightly stunned expression of Nara Shikamaru. His shock seemed to be directed towards something she said or did. Maybe she was a bit too violent with the locker. She had that bad habit with a multitude of things.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

The Nara seemed to be shaken out of his thoughts when addressed. "Uh, n-no. I was just passing through when I herd the locker slam."

Looking down I noticed a book she dropped on the floor. Shikamaru seemed to see the book as well and reached down to pick it up as did Sakura. Bending down Shikamaru noticed one of the ornaments on the end of one of Sakura's many necklaces. It was a black GO piece in a small glass tube.

"You play GO?"

Sakura did not reply at first but retrieved her book from Shikamaru's hands and placed it in her arms. "I used to play every three to four days in Suna. The game is...one of my favorite pastimes. Not that many people my age understand or play the game. I was more than often placed with older players. I didn't expect you to recognize the piece."

"My family is pretty big on GO and other strategic board games. My dad taught me how to play when I was younger and I've loved it ever since. I didn't think anyone else my age would show an knowledge or interest for the game."

"Oh. That's interesting," Sakura lamely commented arranging her books in her arms.

She turned away and began walking, not expecting the Nara to want to continue the conversation. She wasn't very good with socializing and was almost completely clueless with it came to people outside the underground.

"Wait!" Shikamaru called out, causing her to stop her walk. "I wanted to know. Do you live far from the school?"

Sakura shrugged, hoisting her black messenger back onto her shoulder and heading outside. "I don't have to walk far."

"So you live close to the school then? Maybe I could walk you home some of the way since I live pretty far myself," Shikamaru offered, hoping he could have a little more time with Sakura so that he could learn more about her mysterious background.

He was a snoopy kid when he wasn't lazy, and was always curious about things that were unknown to him. Having a female transfer to their school, filled with as many gangs as it did, was something you just didn't do. And then there were her blocked parents and her medical records.

"That won't be necessary," she replied trotting into the school's parking lot and stopping in front of a shiny silver and black Kawasaki ZX-7RR sport bike with a white coiling dragon on either side. "I drove here."

Shikamaru stopped dead in his tracks, mouth slightly agape at the shiny sleek vehicle. "I though you were only 16, you have to be 17 to get a license here!"

Sakura strapped her books to the back of her bike and pulled out her black striped helmet "I know."

Shikamaru frowned in confusion. "Then how did you get you license?"

"I didn't."

The younger Nara crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the calm green eyed female with suspicion written all over his face. "So you drive without a license?"

"Yeah pretty much. The cops don't stop you unless your speeding and If they do see me speeding it means nothing really since they can't catch me." Sakura turned away from re strapping her books onto the back of her bike to softly laugh at he male's shocked expression. "Don't worry my friend back in Suna taught me how to drive when I was 12. I've been driving ever since then."

"You're going to get yourself killed that way you know. Running is too troublesome for me, I prefer to walk home than risk my tail on these streets. It's not your driving I doubt, it's the driving of the other people in this city. Some of them aren't careful at all."

Sakura laughed lightly clutching her black and silver helmet. "I'm just joking. A have a licensee in Suna and a permit here so no I'm not an outlaw. I just can't drive after dark and all that other safety stuff. I hate walking almost anywhere because it takes too much time and then I get less sleep."

"Less sleep?"

"Yeah, I could sleep for days if you let me. It's like there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything. School, work, dinner. You only have seven or six hours left for sleep. It really bothers me sometimes."

Shikamaru smirked. "That's why you fall asleep in class. Sit behind someone tall in the back and no one ever notices. Trust me. I've done it a hundred times, it always works like a charm."

"What about lunch? I saw you working on your laptop. I would have though you would have used that time for sleep," Sakura commented, not knowing what Shikamaru had been doing on his laptop.

Shikamaru felt his heart jump for a moment but relaxed once he saw that she didn't know what he was doing on his laptop. He was safe, for now. "Ah yeah. You know how the teachers are now a days. You forget your homework once and they pile it up on you. I prefer sleeping at home or outside on our roof so I get schoolwork done here and rest up at home."

"Not much time for a social life, huh?"

Shikamaru grinned a bit. "Just a little one. It's enough for me."

Sakura laughed and adjusted the straps of her helmet. "It was nice talking to you. Maybe one day during lunch, if your are not busy with work, I'll ask you to play GO with me."

Shikamaru smiled. "It would be troublesome for either of us to bring a board, but I'd like that."

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Ja ne, Shikamaru san," said Sakura as she turned the key once in the ignition before flexing her wrists, bringing the engine to life with a defining roar.

Shikamaru waved lazily and moved away, heading towards the opposite side of the parking lot.

As Sakura pulled out of the school's parking lot and onto the busy street, the slim boxer remained unaware of a glaring pair of eyes resting on the back of her figure, narrowed with envy. She felt a light prick on the back of her neck but it left as quickly as it came since she was driving at such high speeds.

-

-

A few minuets later the said girl slowed down as she approached a stop sigh while taking one of the back roads and waited for a huge car carrier to cross. Once again he engine purred spurring her and her vehicle forward onto the highway exiting her side road. She felt the phone in her pocket vibrate and made a mental note to check it for a text message once she stopped.

A small chain of shops and restaurants came into view and Sakura smiled, easing her bike behind one row and down the small, but in no way narrow ally. Smiling at her failure to become lost she pulled her bike to a soft stop and killed the engine.

"You were almost late. A few more minuets and I could have made fun of you." Sakura looked up to see a white haired boy around her age, leaning on the doorframe with a smirk on his lips. His cool ocean colored eyes watched her like those of a hawk.

"Stop it Suigetsu, that's no way to talk to a friend on her first day of work." Sakura looked behind the white haired boy and saw a slightly older male with long brown hair pulled back into a bun. He had a soft smile and tender eyes of chocolate brown. "Hello, Sakura. It's good to see you again."

"Likewise Haku kun. Is Kimimaro here?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's working the counter right now. Zabuza told me to get you settled in as soon as possible and to make sure you were comfortable," Haku replied with a kind smile. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Hey, what about me? I'm happy to see you as well," Suigetsu whined, while jokingly winking at Sakura.

Sakura smirked knowingly. "Nice try wise guy but no, I'm not giving you my phone number."

"But why? Haku and Kimimaro have it and they're just as much your friends as I am," he protested as he watched the slim boxer dismount from her bike and follow Haku in.

As she pass him she sent him a sly smile and leaned over his shoulder to whisper her reply. "That's because I know they won't call me every waking hour of the day or try and stalk me."

Suigetsu blushed crimson as she pulled away and entered deeper into the building. "That was one time, and I already told you I didn't know you would be at the Barns 'n Nobel reading manga at that five past four!"

"Suigetsu, stop harassing Sakura and get back to work," Haku commanded letting Sakura pass him.

The white haired boy rolled his ocean colored eyes and begrudgingly returned to his post, muttering something that sounded like a girlish voice barking orders. Sakura knew this was his imitation of Haku.

Haku led Sakura over to the small locker corner and opened one that had her name on it. He pulled out a light blue uniform and a name tag she attached to the strap. "Your shift starts as soon as you walk out there. It's pretty light right now, but it gets busier once the mob of kids from school get here, witch should be any second now. Don't worry, it never gets to be so much that it's overwhelming, just a bunch of the kids are rowdy once in a while."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks Haku," Sakura replied with a sweet smile as she slipped the apron strap over her head.

Pulling the few longer locks out from under the strap, Sakura followed Haku out to the counter where her old friend with jade colored eyes stood serving ice cream. There were only a few customers in line, most young teenage girls, batting eyelashes as the two white haired males that served them ice cream. Neither Kimimaro nor Suigetsu seemed to enjoy the treatment. Suigetsu looked agitated while Kimimaro kept a stony expression, though Sakura could tell he was not enjoying it any more than his friend.

"You two look ready for death. I would think you were more disciplined than to let a few girls tire you out," Sakura teased, taking a place between the two.

Kimimaro looked a bit startled to see the pink haired boxer standing next to him but smiled non the less. "Hello to you too, Sakura."

"You haven't been here for two hours with a steady stream of customers," Suigetsu replied, dipping a cone in chocolate for a customer.

Sakura said nothing as she took a few orders and prepared the treats. True to Haku's words, the small parlor for frozen treats soon exploded with dozens of new faces. Sakura found herself straining to smile as order after order cam in and demanded her attention. She had other jobs before this one. Regular jobs that could be done without having to hide where she was. However, she never really enjoyed taking orders, weather for food or actions beneath her. It was a bad habit she would have to get over.

"Coming right up sir," She quickly stated with a forced smile as she prepared the ice cream, ignoring the looks she was getting from the male students in front of her.

The young man started speaking again as Sakura neared the end of his order. "Yeah, there was one other thing I was hoping I could have."

"And that would be...?"

"You happen to have your phone number on you? Cause I lost mine.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she handed him his cone without the smile she normally dawned for customers after a purchase. "Thank you and please don't come again."

"Ah I get it, you're playing hard to get. Well I can tell you that-"

"She told you to leave," Suigetsu coldly stated, coming up behind Sakura with a murderous look in his narrowed eyes. If he couldn't have her number then there was no way he was letting some random guy get a hold of it.

"I think you should leave now," Kimimaro added, coming up behind the two, looking just as threatening as white haired friend. The red lining under his eyes made his jade colored orbs all the more threatening as he narrowed them in disgust and loathing.

The male shrank under the gazes of the two worker and soon left with a nervous laugh. Just then Haku chose that time to come up and see what was going on. "What were you guys doing to the poor guy. It looked like he had his life threatened."

"He did, I think," Sakura calmly replied a bit oblivious to the real going ons of her two friends.

"That's bad for business you know," Haku sighed.

"But he was harassing Sakura!"

Haku instantly switched into overly protective brother mode. "What? Did he hurt you? What did he ask you? Are you alright? Are you emotionally traumatized? Do you need a break. A glass of water?"

Sakura smiled and laughed lightly at his actions. "No I'm fine. No need to worry yourself with me. I can handle my own, remember?"

"Regardless, we did not feel comfortable in doing nothing," Kimimaro stated, standing on front of an empty counter.

"Thanks you guys, but I think I'm okay."

"There's like no one here, I want to take a break and catch up with Sakura chan now," Suigetsu stated in a slightly whined voice as he addressed Haku. The tall soft speaking boy was, after all, the manager left in charge when Zabuza was not present. Kimimaro was assistant manager and Suigetsu was a pain int the but.

"Ditto," Kimimaro chorused stepping away from the register.

Haku sighed, "I wanted to talk with you as well. Since there's no one new coming in we can all take a break, but we have to get back if someone comes in, okay."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. No one comes at this time of day. Rush hour was three hours ago. Come on Sakura chan, I want to hear about everything you've been up to since you were last in Waves."

"Let's secure a table first, then we can talk," Sakura offered.

-

-

Sasuke growled slamming he door shut behind him. His cold onyx eyes flaring with his anger. 'He just had to go and rub it in," he thought throwing his school bag down and storming through the halls of his mansion. The maids and servants took care to stay out of his way as he threw his fit.

Of course he was talking about Itachi and how his older brother made it known to Sasuke that he had secured a few minuets with the pink haired student and had learned more about the curious girl. Sasuke knew Itachi was trying to rub it in how someone could find no interest in a younger brother, but find pleasureful company in an older brother.

Being the spoiled little child he was Sasuke always got what he wanted and when he didn't…well let's not go there. His father was the leader of one of the most powerful underground 'businesses' in all of Konoha.

His eldest son leading another making their family the strongest around. He was also a very strict business man giving his children all the toys, money, and cars they desires so Sasuke grew up getting everything he wanted. Strangely he always had a desire for what he couldn't have or who didn't want him. Until today he thought there wasn't a woman alive that didn't want him but today he was proved wrong.

A devious smile played across his lips as he remembered the way she defied him. She was perfect for him and he had no intention of letting his elder brother win her over.

Itachi had too much in Sasuke's opinion. The eldest son was always going to be the more favored. Sasuke didn't like having to share anything with the older family member. He deserved more than what he had. He deserved what Itachi had. Sasuke worked just as hard, should he be rewarded his dues.

He yanked open the door to one of their refrigerators and pulled out some V8 splash tomato juice and took a gulp straight from the bottle. It's not like anyone else drank from the container, or it's not like he 'let' anyone drink from 'his' container. Setting the bottle on the counter and wiping his mouth with the back of his hands he narrowed his eyes. "I won't loose you you, brother. Not at anything."

-

-

Sakura swerved sharply into the small parking lot that was meant for her apartment's use. Screeching sideways into a parking space she turned off the engine and pulled out her keys swinging the pink and black object around her finger while un-strapping her bag.

Using one hand she pulled off her helmet grateful that her loose bun was still somewhat intact despite the many stray locks that fell out from her drive home after a hectic first day at work. She had to re do the bun a few times but it still held it's self together for the rest of the day.

With her book bag slung over her shoulder, she juggled the helmet into her opposite hand while taking out her apartment keys with her other hand. Walking down the steppes she used her knee to open the first door leading her down another hallway.

She was not surprised to find that there was a flight of steppes going down, dimly illuminated with a stale yellow light. She grunted descending down the steeps taking care not to trip and fall. Cursing at the lack of light she jabbed her keys into the door at the end of the steeps before kicking it open, out of habit.

This was the cheaper end of the apartment complex she lived in. There was a more expensive and upscale end with bright lights and un-sticking doors that Sakura could have chosen, but was content with the room she had. Buying such an expensive apartment room for one person would have aroused a lot of suspicion on her part and it would have been suspicion she didn't want.

It was true, she had protection from the city's crime lord himself, but aside from that, there were child foster laws she had to pretend to follow. It was a good thing the owner of the apartment complex knew her from her other life, or else th young man would have turned her in for being a minor.

Flipping on a light reveled a mostly bare living room attached to a small kitchen with two bedrooms and a one and a half baths. Both rooms were filed with half empty boxes and piles of paper padding. She grumbled dumping her contents onto the floor and heading into her bedroom with half lidded eyes.

There was a blinking light on her answering machine, meaning she had at least one new message. She ignored it with a glare.

She stubbed her toe lightly on another cardboard box filled with her manga books. That was right, she had tons upon tons of junk and worthless items she needed to unpack. She had called her mother and asked her to drop off a few things from her old house in Leaf.

Yes, her mother had remain in the city while Sakura had run off to Suna to fight and get her life risked day and night. How long has it been since they saw each other. Five...six years?

Moving into her bedroom, she was not surprised, nor was she all that thrilled to see the room filled with just as many boxes as the living room. She had hardly any time to make a decent bed to sleep in, let alone de- clutter and clean up the living space.

Being who she was, the illegal underground fighter was tight on time and was always very tired from everything she did. There was the workouts at the gym, schoolwork, her cover job at the ice cream parlor, and of course her real job under the streets of the city.

Removing her vans she began to pull off her jewelery, taking care to see it in the small glass dish with a Hello Kitty angel on the side. Tossing off the rest of her cloths, Sakura Slipped on a XXL large graphic tee with black and white Koi fish swimming around one another.

Slipping on a pair of knee high black and white stripped socks she pulled back the covers of her flood level bed that was packed with layer upon layer of sheets and covers to soften her slip into slumber.

"Shimatta I am so tired," she moaned flopping onto her futon without even kicking her shoes off.

"I was fighting myself just to say awake and not crash riding home on my bike. Ugh and now Garra is coming. I pray I'll be able to find some time to sleep these coming weeks," she mumbled, turning over in her unkempt bed and snuggled deeper into her warm pillow. "I'll just catch a few hours of sleep and do my homework in the morning. Stupid homework...stupid, stupid, homework. How pointless it all is."

Pulling her knees up for warmth Sakura tucked herself into the covers and pulled her pillow closer to her head. Living in the desert for such a long time she was used to cold nights, but was not expecting the rainy season to come so soon for Leaf. She remembered this part of the city would become flooded with tornado warnings and flash flood alerts. Those were times she would run to her mother and snuggle up with her.

Lacking a mother at the moment, she pulled her stuffed panda bear closer to her body for comfort. It wasn't her mother, but it was comforting all the same. The bear had been a gift from Gaara after they devolved the inside joke about his name. Panda kun.

Seeing the stuffed animal, the red head hesitated no time in purchasing it. He and his siblings did come from a very wealthy family after all. That was to be expected when your father was the big boss of all of Suna.

Sakura sighed sleepily, finding it hard to keep her eyes open. They were more like lead weights to her rather than small flaps of flesh. So, with her panda kun being the last thing her weary green eyes behold, the exhausted boxer allows her mind to go blank as sleep grabs hold of her.

The red flashing light of her answering machine flashing in the background, ominously warning her of what she was in store for tomorrow morning.

-

-

-

-

* * *

My big bang, as I liked to call it, would have included three updates in one day, but I neglected my packing duties and had my computer time restricted. And so, I was only able to type up This and Ecstasy, but I think that's more than enough for one day. Neh?

Please **_review_**!

_**REVIEW **_I SAY!

Ja ne


	4. IV

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel bad.

* * *

Chapter Four

IV

Sexy, Sexy

In the early morning before light could fully overtake the morning sky, a small black alarm clock in the corner of a cluttered room blinked 6:29, it's red numbers glowing eerily in the dark sleeping space.

Nothing stirred as time trickled by. In Sakura's bedroom, the only motion present was the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed a steady even breath. She slept on quite deeply, her sheets scattered and crumpled all around her.

After another few seconds it clicked on, playing a slow rock song that could barley be heard by one so dead asleep as Sakura.

_Yuugure no kanata kara shinkirou  
Aitakute aitakute  
Aenakute aenakute  
Anata utopia_

_Itsuno hi ka, kono basho de deaeru nara  
I miss you I miss you  
I need you I need you  
Sexy sexy_

In her sleep she rolled over and borough her head closer to the radio speakers. After a few seconds the music on the radio began to enter her tired, groggy senses. Thus, bringing her to the state of reality where you know not weather you are still sleeping or in the land of those awake.

A single green orb cracked open as her sight returned to her. Her eyes were heavy and hard to lift, so she gave up on opening them both and focused all her energy on one. She felt as if she was still stuck in a dream as the music continued to drift on bringing her, bringing her closer and closer to fully waking up.

_Ne, heya ni konai?  
Naisho no hanashi kikaseteageru  
Koyoi norenai nara  
Take away shite mo doushiyou mo nai ne_

_Furachi na yoru ni kokoro mo nureta  
Toki wa modosenai  
Come back come back come back_

_Jounetsu no kanata kara shinkirou  
Yurashite yurashite  
Yurashite yurashite  
Kimochi ii koto paradise_

_Moesakaru ano basho de deaeru no nara  
Yurashite yurashite  
Yurashite yurashite  
Sexy sexy dance_

Sakura moaned still somewhat in sleep and rolled off her bed onto the floor. There was only a half an inch drop so she didn't wake up immediately.

"Screw the killer beavers, you deserve it…" she mumbled, still half asleep.

Her eyes fell back down and it seemed as if she would re enter sleep when the tune of the song increased. After a few more seconds of mumbling her heavy eyes started to flutter to life again.

Her sight was hazy at first, allowing her only colors and blurs, but after time shapes began to come into play. It wasn't long before her vision was back to normal, with only a faint trace of hazy morning. She knew this would pass once she showered.

Growling she started at her clock with her hazy morning vision trying to decipher the blurry numbers. The numbers blinked again changing to 6:01. Sakura started harder, her vision fully restored as if not believing what she saw.The music bringing her deeper into reality.

_Hoshi wa aozame hana wa midareru  
Yami no naka kara kirakira to (utsushiteru no)_

_Karamitsuku yubisaki no shinkirou  
Jirashite jirashite  
Jirashite jirashite  
Jiri jiri ikasete_

_Itsumademo kono atari de koishiteru  
I miss you i miss you  
I need you i need you  
Sexy sexy you_

'It can't be…' she though, her eyes growing wider. "………..AWWW crap! I slept in!" she cried, jumping up and grabbing some random cloths she would somehow make work, before tripping only once before disappearing into her small bathroom to take a quick shower. Thanks to the length of her hair, it was a short one.

Her hair used to be longer, falling past her hips during a time she was unaware of the horrors she now knows. She took great pride in her looks back then since it was something she and her mother shared together. She had pictures of the two of them from so many years ago. Then her world went into a nose dive, throwing her out of protection's arms. The true nature of her world was reviled and she cursed the day her eyes were opened. Things were so much better when she was blind to all the evil.

Memories such as these haunted her as the apple scented shampoo fell down her back and out of her hair dampened hair. Turning the warm water off, the nimble girl hopped of the shower, throwing on a few articles of her cloths, not bothering to dry her hair that reached only her shoulder blades.

She hat cut her hair short and uneven herself, many years ago, and had kept it that way ever since. She liked to think of it as a symbol of her awareness of the world. She was once a small protected girl, living the good life. The next day the blood of her loved ones was pooling at her feet, opening her eyes up to the reality of the world.

How she wished she could go back to those times of butterflies and candy fairies. Unicorns and magical rainbows.

But she couldn't.

When her image of the world shattered, that was when she truly grew up out of her childhood. Her long hair was a symbol of her innocence so she cut it herself, short and uneven. Ever since that day she drew the scissors against the long beautiful tressed she once possessed, she never let it grow back, because there was no going back.

Tossing such thoughts aside she picked up her books and shoved them into her bag, not really caring if she didn't have time to do the homework. The towel around her shoulders slipped when she reached under a chair to pick up her history text book. The kitchen clock stood blinking in the dimness of her house. It's numbers reminding her how far behind she was.

"I can't believe I slept in I set my alarm for 5:30 so that I would be done with all of this by now and hopefully have some of my schoolwork done. Kuso that evil radio station, how dare they play soft rock in the morning when people need to wake up. Kuso, Kuso, Kuso!" she cried toweling her hair as she continued to run around the house collecting her things.

School started at seven, and was only a fifteen minuet ride away, so she would not be late if she hurried. However, this required her to give up on her big breakfast she was looking forward to devouring in the morning. Being a dedicated fighter, she had to work out a lot and burned a lot of calories. Thus, she needed to eat a lot more than the average woman. Not to mention her inhumanly high metabolism didn't help things at all.

Sakura was very slim and slightly petite compared to the other girls her age so you would never think of her as a hearty eater but the truth was instead of a normal stomach like everyone else she had a bottomless pit that begged for food ever minuet of the day. It might have been from her severe work out sessions with her trainer who told Sakura that 'she could eat all of France and not get fat.'So it might not seem like a lot, but skipping breakfast was a lot for her to give up. Sadly, she needed to get to the school early and work on some of her home work in the study hall.

She didn't really notice the music from her radio continuing to play around her. But, somehow in the back of her mind she knew it was still going and matched her steeps to the beat, her drying hair still dripping behind her steeps. Her body moved gracefully around the house as the final stretch of her song came in.

_Oh baby my baby  
Oh baby oh baby  
Anata utopia_

_Jounetsu no kanata ni wa shinkirou  
Yurashite yurashite  
Yurashite yurashite  
Nandomo_

_Yurashite yurashite  
Yurashite yurashite_

_Kirakira to  
Sexy sexy_

Ding Ding Knock Knock

Sakura raised her eyes to the door when she hear the noised coming from outside it. Who would be at her door this early in the morning? On top of that, who knew she was here, living in this apartment. Only a handful of people knew of her wear abouts. Rule number one in survival of the underground: keep a low profile. This was a rule Sakura knew well, since she knew what would happen if she didn't obey this rule.\

Coming to the door, she cursed the lack of an eye hole. What a stupid idiot she was to buy a room with this kind of door! Keeping the chain on, Sakura unlocked her door an opened it a crack, to see who it was that had bothered to come see her so early in the morning. "Josh you take long enough. Are you ready yet?"

"Kisame? What are you doing here? Wait. Give me a second," Sakura exclaimed closing the door and undoing the chain.

"What do you mean, what am I doing here? Didn't you get my message? I left one for you on you answering machine last night. I though you would have been ready by now," Kisame stated, entering her room.

"Ready for what?"

Kisame blinked, giving her a blank stare. "You didn't get my message, did you?"

Sakura turned to look over her shoulder and spotted the answering machine Kisame had spoken about earlier. Excusing herself for a moment she ran over to it a pressed the flashing red button.

'I have one new message

' **Beep**'

"_Sakura, it's Kisame. Haku told me you were working at out place now and mentioned you going to the same school as me. I have you address from your work resume so I'll just come by in the morning and pick you up. I'll be out and around by 6:15, see you then_.

' **Beep **'

End of new message'

"You crashed as soon as you got home, didn't you?" Kisame asked coming up from behind Sakura, leaning over her shoulder so he could see the answering machine she had forgotten to answer.

Sakura chuckled nervously and blushed a bit in embarrassment. "I was really, really tired when I got back and it was so late that I just crashed without thinking. I'm sorry I didn't know you were coming to pick me up," Sakura replied rubbing the back of her head in a nervous way when a thought made her stop. "Wait a minuet, what are you doing going to my school? You're like...so much older than me and you live in Mist. Besides, I didn't see you there yesterday."

This time it was Kisame's turn to be embarrassed. "Yeah, I go to your school to keep an eye on everything that happens here in Leaf. I got held back a few times so I'm still attending classes. I don't usably bother to come to school unless I really need to, but when I found out you were going, I decided to start showing up again."

Sakura paused before speaking again. "So...you came to pick me up for school...that we both go to?" She asked, the sentence coming out slowly.

"Ah, _very_ smart."

Sakura frowned darkly with a glare in her eyes. "Are you mocking me?"

Kisame stiffened in mid chuckle to see Sakura glaring up at him like he was about to become her next victim. He didn't put it past her. When she wanted to be, she could become a screeching little demon that no one had a hope of defeating. And on top of that, Kisame still had somewhat of an unofficial debt he had to pay to her, despite the fact that she told him they were even over and over again. "Uh, no."

Sakura sighed in relief and brushed past Kisame to gather the rest of her books. It was sort of like a scavenger hunt, looking for all of them. It didn't take long until she was finally ready for departure. With Kisame leading the way, Sakura skipped past her bike and followed her blue haired friend towards his car.

"You know Kisame, I know this is a bit stupid to say, but I have to tell you, I never though I'd see you in a school uniform...ever." Sakura stated with a hidden smile beneath her voice as she reached for her water bottle.

Kisame tisked the comment off and kept his eyes on the road. "Laugh it up while you can. You'll have to wear one as well, eventually. And when you do, it will have to be a skirt. I know you'll just love that."

Anyone that knew Sakura, knew that she hated dresses and skirts. She said they restricted too much movement and were not proper to fight in. You would have more luck in getting some random guy off the street to wear a skirt than you would with Sakura. It was for this reason, Sakura planned on buying a guy's uniform, complete with pants.

"And just to let you know, wearing a guys uniform won't work."

Sakura choked on her water and nearly ended up spitting it out in surprise. How did he manage to read her mind like that? "What the hell do you mean I can't wear a pair of pants. I didn't see any rule against it!"

"Then you obviously didn't check the rules. It's there if you look. Girls wear girl skirts, guys wear pants. I think the rule's just there to help the teachers," Kisame replied, running a stop light with a calm look in his eyes. Sakura knew he was used to driving like a maniac since it was pretty famous for his drag racing.

"I don't want to even ask what the teachers need help with," Sakura sighed as she twisted the cap back onto her water bottle. "What class do you have first, Kisame?"

"The only class we have together is Arithmetic. Bloody useless stuff for people like us. I really wish they would cut me a break and let me graduate. It's such a bother to go through all this crap," Kisame complained as he skid his car into the school's parking lot, not even batting an eye as he narrowly missed running over a few students and crashing into a few cars.

"For me, Arithmetic is an advanced class so it would make sense that I would take it with you. This is your last year, isn't it?" Sakura asked, un-clipping her seat belt and climbing out of the car.

"Ha, I wish. I bet I missed enough classes to hold me back another year. But with any luck, I'll be able to graduate this year. I asked a friend to help out with a few tests and homework so I still have a bit of hope in escaping this hellhole," the blue haired youth answered slamming his car door shut and locking it with a key.

"I have social studies in a half hour. That should be enough time for me to finish up on all the homework I should be reading. We have ancient Egypt for history so I can really skip all of than and work on my other stuff. Social studies is pretty much sleep and doodle class."

"They all are, there's no point in someone like me having to go through all of this. It's not like it's going to help me where I'm headed," Kisame grumbled as he walked Sakura to the fount of the building.

Sakura couldn't help but frown at the logic behind Kisame's words. It was true, that in the underground world school smarts would get you nowhere. In fact, if you did well in school and were bad on the floor, you were more than likely picked on and targeted for whatever damage they could inflict upon you.

Sabotage was not something entirely unknown to Sakura when she first started her days in the ring. She was a bright girl in school, a straight A student to be exact. And when she stated out she wasn't the strongest kid on the block. She was picked on because people believed she though of herself as someone better than the rest, just because she did well in school.

At one time Kisame was that type of person.

"It's okay, Kisame. You just got to go with it, you know. I think it's really brave of you to keep doing something you hate," Sakura murmured in a half unconscious state with her eyes half lidded.

Kisame faltered in his steppes a bit but regained composure in no time at all. "You think it's brave of me to keep coming to school?"

Sakura merely nodded, not bothering to look at him or utter a word.

"So I see," he whispered to himself turning his eyes downward as his face grew hot. For some reason, Sakura always had a way of turning bad situations around. Her voice got through to people when no one else could.

Sakura reached into her pocket and pulled out a black and white checkered hair band she used to pull her hair back into a short pony tale. A few loose bangs feel in front of her face, still mildly damp from the shower she rushed through that morning.

Combing a few behind the ear she looked up at Kisame and addressed him. "I'm going to go to Study Hall now, you're welcome to come join me if you like. I wouldn't mind."

Kisame blinked, his mouth slightly a gap.

"...But if you don't want to, I'll just head out there on my own."

"W-wait, I have some people I have to talk to this morning so I can't, but if you are willing tomorrow..."

Sakura blinked but smiled none the less. "Sure, Kisame. I'll be here early tomorrow as well if you want to study with me. Till then, I'll see you around!"

-

-

-

-

"Sand and Mist are both allies with Leaf, so it only makes sense there should be members of both inside the core," a velvety smooth voice drawled out in a soft tone. Itachi sat back in his seat on the roof, looking at Hidan who was currently scowling at his earlier words. "Don't you think so too?"

Kisame and Sasori exchanged looks but said nothing, preferring to nod their heads in agreement rather than argue with nothing more than pride as their objection. Still, neither party seemed too thrilled with having to work with the other. Many were aware of how different the climate and the culture were in both cities.

Neither mix easy.

"I am glad that you both arrived early, like I asked. There are a few matters I would like to discuss before the first classes begin. The first being the new memberships. Leaf, Sand, Mist, Lightning and Earth are the five most powerful cities that sponsor underground activity."

He paused to clear his throat. "As you know, Lightning and Earth are bound by trade and employment. There are rumors that they are planning to buy out and overthrow the companies of Leaf, Sand, and Mist. I think you all know that the most useful and intelligent thing to do would be to devolve an alliance and stand strong against the two cities."

"Itachi san, I don't want to speak out of line but I see no evidence to support this theory outside of raw rumors. I know you are not the kind of man to act without proof or solid reason. What do you have to grantee this?" AS tall darkly clad man asked, his vivid green eyes staring calmly at the confident Uchiha before him.

"Kakuzu..." Hidan hissed,sitting next to the stitched up youth who was currently having a silent glaring contest with the Uchiha.

"I have a lot invested in this. I would like to be able to stand on more than just a belief or a rumor, thank you very much," Kakuzu continued.

Itachi smirked lightly, leaning further back in his seat that was nothing more than a few cement blocks stacked up against the wall. "I will gladly give you the proof you need once he gets here. As for now you will have to rely on my words as well as those of Leader sama's. I am sure you can wait a few more hours until then, no?"

Kisame looked around the roof and saw a good number of people.

Hidan and Kakuzu seemed to know each other well and sat off to one side of the the roof on a pile of wooden crates.

Sasori stood next to him, as cold and calm as ever. Kisame didn't like the guy because he was from the desert, but Sakura had lived there and she came out fine so he really couldn't hold that against him.

Then there was this Tobi guy that sat next to Kisame. He seemed harmless enough to the blue haired male, but he was not certain of anything.

Then there was lastly Zetsu, the man who had tattooed his body black and white. It was sort of his theme for fights in the underground. His nickname was the canabil, for his tradmark move where he would bite his opponent with his sharpened teath and tear the skin apart in a bloody, painful mess. Not many people liked to go up againts him.

"Is there something wrong, Kisame?" Itachi asked, noticing how the blue haired youth kept looking around him, taking in everyone.

"Nothing, just wondering...aren't we missing a few people?"

"Leader sama and Konan were not able to come and our last official member is late. I asked him to be here but it appears he was unable to make it. He told me there could be complication in arriving so early, so I won't hold it against him. However, there is one spot still open, you are right about that."

"Are you meaning to say that this organization is incomplete?" Sasori asked in a monotone voice, one eyebrow slightly raised in question. Nothing really surprised him anymore.

Itachi smirked lightly yet again. It was the light smirk of an evil mastermind as he watched his plans fall into place perfectly. "Actually, that is the second member I wished to discuss. Konan brought this up a few weeks ago and did some scouting for another guy in our group."

"They why ain't he here?" Hidan asked.

"Well I have not been able to extend an invitation. But rest assured, this is only a matter of time before the empty slot is filled. I have to warn you, it may seem strange at first. But you'll soon see why."

"Not too seem too intruding, Itachi san. But do you, by any chance, mind extending the name of out future member?" Kisame asked, mustering up as much politeness in his voice as he was able. It was certainly, a difficult task for someone like him who was used to using in-proper grammar all the time.

A few other members nodded their heads in agreement and asked for Itachi to give them a name.

"I doubt many of you know of whom I speak of. But she is a young girl from the Suna grounds that now resides in Leaf, her mother home. Her name is Harouno Sakura and she is the champion of the female devision at only sixteen years of age."

But the strangest thing was that most did know this girl.

Not just Sasori and Kisame.

-

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-

-

* * *

Did the title for this chapter scare you? I seriously am too in love with Japanese music for my own good. I suggest you go listen to the song by the band Cascade. It's super catchy, and who wouldn't want to listen to a song that pronounces sexy _shexy_.

I think this is the story that will be updated the most from now on. I just finished a two week vacation of a sorts and now I have plenty of time to write and such. Don't worry, I know it's been a while, but I'll start updating a lot more now.

Please **_review_**!

_**REVIEW **_I SAY!

Ja ne


	5. V

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel bad.

* * *

Chapter Five

V

Dangerous Mind

_I'm searching for answers  
Cause something is not right.  
I follow the signs,  
I'm close to the fire. _

_I fear that soon you'll reveal  
Your dangerous mind._

_It's in your eyes, what's on your mind.  
I fear your smile and the promise inside.  
It's in your eyes, what's on your mind.  
I fear your presence, I'm frozen inside._

_I'm searching for answers  
Not questioned before.  
The curse of awareness,  
There's no peace of mind.  
As your true colors show  
A dangerous sign.  
_

"How can you study when you're listening to music?" someone asked, coming up behind Sakura with a pile of new looking books. Sakura saw the books fall down to rest in fount of the seat next to her and concluded that she would be having company. "I am sorry. Is this seat taken?"

Sakura pulled out her ear buds as her music rumbled on. "No, nobody's sitting there and I don't mind," she replied, remembering how Kisame had somewhere else to be in the morning.

"Thank you. I noticed you were new here and thought I would introduce myself. My name is Hyuga Neji. It is a pleasure to make you acquaintance."

Sakura looks over at the male, studying him as he greats her like a 19th century gentleman. At first she could have sworn it was Haku sitting next to her because of the long brown hair he had. But further studies showed a pair of peal like eyes that could not have belonged to her dear friend from Mist. No, this was definitely someone completely different.

Haku had a softer voice and chocolate colored eyes he liked to use to get his way whenever it came to her. Hey, can you blame her? Those eyes were so adorably handsome. You can't help but fall in love with them. Not that she had feelings for Haku...just his eyes. Give the poor girl a break, will ya?!

"My name is Harouno Sakura. Are you finished with your work?"

"Ah, yes. I finished everything last night. I ended up coming here early and decided to catch up some reading I picked out for my free time. But, I saw you here and decided to introduce myself. I am in a few of your classes, but I didn't get the chance to talk to you yesterday."

"My apologies, I left right after class for work. I didn't want to underestimate the till it would take me to get there. Not to sound rude, or anything, but I don't remember you from any of my classes," Sakura explained, lying about not noticing him in her classes.

She noticed everyone and made a mental note of who looked like the went to underground shows. She remembered Neji sitting in the back row, three seats to the left.

"I don't doubt it. I am a quiet kid who sits in the back most of the time. No many people notice me. I would be surprised if you had noticed me. Not that being surprise is a bad thing," Neji replied with a calm tone.

"Of course not," she coolly answered.

Neji looked like he wanted to say something, but had a hard time saying it. Sakura looked down at his books and realized that they were not new, per say, but rater well kept. He didn't seem like someone who was aware of the underground business. Most likely coming from a wealthy family, he appeared to be a modern day gentleman.

Level of Danger: 3.

"So...you are still waiting for your uniform, I see," he lamely commented, in hopes of keeping the conversation going between the two.

Sakura nodded. "I'm planning on holding out as long as I can. If the teachers are too angry today, I'll come tomorrow in uniform. If not, I'll forget to wear it."

Neji grinned, holding back a laugh. "You're mischievous."

"I try."

"Neji, I've been looking all over for ya' man. I can't believe you would slip out on me like that," someone shouted coming up behind the pearl eyed boy. Neji did not look happy as the unnamed male draped an arm over Neji's shoulders.

"I thought I told you I would be back," Neji coolly replied with a bored tone to his voice. Or was that irritation Sakura sensed.

The boy leaning over Neji had short shaggy brown hair that was naturally spiked all around. His eyes were dark and slit like those of a dog's. Come to think of it, his grin reminded her of a dog as well. His uniform was wrinkled and his tie hung loosely around his neck in an unkempt fashion. He seemed to be the exact opposite of Hyuga Neji.

"Yeah, well you didn't come back so I came to get you and then I find you enjoying your time with this pretty yung lady here," the dog like boy continued.

"_Kiba_," Neji growled, glaring evilly at the dumb smiling boy.

"Oh gosh, where are my manners, the name's Kiba. You're Sakura right? I saw you yesterday in the hallway. I skipped all of my morning classes so I didn't get to see you there." he said, sticking out his hand to shake.

"Yes, my name is Harouno Sakura. I don't remember seeing you yesterday. Were you in any of my classes after the lunch period?"

"Nah, only the ones in the morning. Bummer right. I was hoping to get to know you better all through out the day," Kiba chuckled letting Neji blush a bit at his words.

"Kiba, don't you have somewhere you need to be right now. Somewhere that is not here," Neji hissed with a dark tone to his voice as he slipped Kiba's arm off his shoulder. The soft look in his eyes was gone, replaced with something far darker. In Sakura's mind, his level of danger went up to an 8.

"Pff, Neji, you're always being so mean. Can't you let me talk to one pretty girl for two minuets without you getting all defensive. It's not like you had anything too important to say to her. She just moved here."

"And how would you know that? You have no idea what we were talking about before you showed up. It could have been something important that you just interrupted."

"But it wasn't, was it? There's nothing you can say that would be so important on the second day of school. Just let me talk to her will ya? It's not like it's a crime," Kiba replied with a bored look.

"That still dose not give you permission to interrupt my conversation with Harouno san. I told you I would be right back and I would. You should have waited for me."

While the two boys continued to exchange verbal blows to one another, Sakura began to pack of her books and set them in her messenger bag. Her wrist watch told her she had only eight minuets to get everything ready for class. She would not be surprised if there were a few students in class already.

Slipping past the two, she lightly stepped over towards the door and paused to look behind her. Yup, those two were still going at it. Sakura guessed the two knew each other from when they were younger. For Kiba not to get affected from the glare Neji sent him, that would either take a lot of guts, or a lot of knowing the person that was burning your soul with his eyes.

Sakura would admit it, those eyes were scary when they were narrowed like that. Yes, even she got scared. Turning around, Sakura could see they were still arguing, but at a lower tone so that she couldn't hear.

"You just don't want me to talk to her because you wanted her all for yourself, Neji. Don't try to deny it. I saw the way you were looking at her yesterday after she talked back to Sasuke. You couldn't look away."

"And so what if I was. What is your excuse? Could it be you like her as well and wanted to pick her up so that you could drop her like a lead ball. The same way you hurt my cousin?"

Kiba looked hurt. "We've been over this, man. I'm not that kind of person and you know it. I was just trying to be nice to the new girl that's all. Nothing more. You don't have to get so defensive about it. Even though she is pretty hot."

Neji looked like he was going to murder Kiba but was stopped when he saw Sakura standing at the door. She smiled, seeing that he was looking at her, and waved lightly. "Class is going to start soon so I'm going to be going. It was nice to talk with both of you. Please have a nice day."

Kiba turned around and was about to call out to her, most likely asking her to wait up, when Neji beat him to it. "Kiba and I have different classes, but I share first period with you. How about I walk you there?"

Sakura smiled. "That would be nice, Neji san. I would appreciate it."

"Ah, it's so crowded this morning. I didn't think so many people would be here this early," Sakura whispered to herself as she stepped into the classroom to see multitudes of class mates conversing with one another.

"It is the biggest class of the day and has the most kids. Aside from that, it is only three minuets till class starts. It is not that early for most of these students," Neji replied, coming up behind her. "Here, I'll escort you to your seat. I am not sitting with Sasuke today so you can sit next to me."

"Doesn't Kiba have morning classes with us?"

"Yeah, but not this one," Neji answered, his voice dropping to a lower key.

Sakura was not a very tall girl at all. And compared to someone like Neji who was tall for the average boy his age (while Sakura was short for the average girl her age) Sakura appeared to be so tiny. Thus, the act of Neji placing his hand on her shoulder to guide her towards her chosen seat, was not much of an effort for him.

It did, however, have a big impact on Sakura. That is to say, she turned bright red at the touch and began to shiver. She had a small phobia when it came to boys she just met. Ever since her parents died, she lived up in a weird, bent out of shape life that didn't leave room for boys and late night gossip with the girls. Yeah, she had a lot of friends that were guys, but she wasn't anything more than that. And yeah she though a lot of them were cute, but...well she has her reasons. Heck, she was sixteen for Pocky's sake and had never been kissed. Umm, but you don't need to know that.

Flash

_'A long time ago I promised I wouldn't drag someone down with me and make them miserable.'_

Flash

"Here, you can sit here," Neji calmly whispered, pulling out a chair for Sakura.

"Thank you Neji. Is your friend, Naruto coming today?"

Neji took a seat next to the pink haired girl and set his bag down on the hook that was on the side of his desk. "I think he is coming. I would not know for sure. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you were sitting with him yesterday and the two-well, three of you looked like close friends. I didn't want to split you guys up if you usually sit together," Sakura replied, setting her bag on the hook connected to her desk as well.

Neji watched as Ino came in and sat in the seat in back of Sasuke's. No doubt so she could stare at the back of his head all day. "That's okay. We don't always sit together. One day will not make much of a difference between the three of us."

"Uchiha sasuke...he's the one that has spiky black hair that looks like the back end of a cockatoo,right?" Sakura asked, not knowing her insulting Sasuk's hairstyle would be heard by his number two fan girl, (number one was Karin, since the obsession was a bit unhealthy).

"Excuse me. Did I just hear you say that Sasuke kun's hair looks like the butt end of a bird?" Ino asked, turning around with narrowed blue eyes. She didn't look too friendly towards Sakura and you really couldn't blame her. After all, she practically lives, sleeps, and breaths for Sasuke.

Sakura blinked adapting a blank face. "No."

"Don't try to lie to me. I know what I heard and I know you just insulted the glory that is Sasuke kun's awesome hair!" Ino replied with a shrill tone standing up a bit.

"I said it looked like the back end of a cockatoo," Sakura replied with a blank face.

Ino looked like a volcano ready to blow. "That's the same thing you baka! You're insulting Sasuke kun, one way or another!"

Sakura's eyes were half lidded at this point and she looked like she couldn't care less. Sasuke wasn't her favorite topic to discuses. "...So?"

That did it. Ino stood up from her seat at full height in front of Sakura's and raised her hand, pal open, fingers spread. Neji and Sakura both knew what she was going to do next and neither one had the time or motivation to react. Four inches from her face, a firm hand caught Ino's and held it back. "What the-oh!"

"Ino, I appreciate you defending the honor of my hair, but you don't have to go around hitting people in class. That's very violent and so not to my liking," Sasuke calmly stated, in that velvety smooth voice of his.

Ino was nothing more than a glorified pile of make up and goo in Sasuke's hands. She just melted right then and there. "Ohhh...of...of course Sasuke kun. Of course. I didn't mean to...My hand just slipped. I wasn't thinking properly. I just hope you know, I love your hair. I really do."

"It still looks like the back end of a cockatoo," Sakura stated with a bored tone, not really caring that Sasuke was right there, standing on front of her. Normally, you don't go insulting people to their faces, especially when they're holding back a slap to the face. You go behind their back and do it. But Sakura never did that. She hated deception.

"Why you little-"

"Ino, what have I told you about cursing in class? You know how I hate a dirty mouth on a lady," Sasuke stated in her ear, turning her back into pig goo.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Whatever, but if you two love birds don't mind, Class is going to start soon and I would like a clear view of the teacher in front of me. Not some sappy love scene that makes me feel like puking crap out the window."

Sasuke released Ino at once and backed up, a little embarrassed about how he was even acknowledging one of his fan girls. Of course he would never admit that and there was no evidence of it on his flawless Uchiha face. "That's pretty ungrateful for someone that almost got slapped across the face, don't you think?"

"Not really. I never asked for you help, and as far as I can see, I really didn't need it," Sakura responded, not really caring if she insulted Sasuke. He had rubbed her the wrong way, acting like such a pompous jerk during their first encounter. He acted as if he ruled the school. If it was anyone, Itachi would be the one ruling the school, since he was the eldest brother of the Uchihas.

Neji looked between Sakura and Sasuke, expecting the Uchiha to say something. Whenever a male talked back to the dark haired prince of the school, that unfortunate individual was never rewarded with anything less than a bruised stomach. Sakura was a girl, though. Sasuke wouldn't loose his cool around a female, would he?"

Sasuke held his gaze with Sakura for a long while as more and more students started filing in behind him. Sakura didn't blink as she was started at for such a long time. Finally Sasuke smirked. "Fine, if that's the way you feel. I'm sorry I interfered. I just though it would be a shame for a mark or bruise to damage that pretty little face of yours. You'll do well to remember that I don't stand by and watch people like you get hurt so easily."

"I don't think it would have hurt that much," Sakura sighed.

Sasuke smirked and chuckled at her comment. "You say that now, but I don't think you would have if she had hit you. You're so tough I find it funny."

Sakura now looked confused and a bit offended as she looked up at Sasuke who was now leaning over her desk. "So you're judging me without any background knowledge, Uchiha san? Don't you think that is a ill advised decision, especially when it concerns someone you'll be spending so much school time with?"

"Heh. Has anyone ever told you that you look so cute when you talk with that look on your face? Regardless, I'll see you after class Sakura chan."Sasuke replied with a smirk as he looked down at the pink haired student that was sitting two seats behind him. He would have preferred siting next to her, or behind her, but would have to make due today. Tomorrow, he would be prepared.

"Whatever, I guess so," she mumbled mostly to herself as she watched the dark haired Uchiha son turn to find his seat still unoccupied.

In mid steep Sasuke noticed the stare Neji had been giving him when he was talking to Sakura. In fact, the young Uchiha noticed Neji staring at Sakura more than himself when he and the pink haired student were talking. Sasuke narrowed his black obsidian colored orbs and glared and Neji darkly. Neji noticed the glare and narrowed his moon colored eyes to meet Sasuke's. The crackling electricity in the air did not go unnoticed by a few of the students sitting close to the two. Sakura, however, was as oblivious as always.

"You look bored, Hyuga."

"You look stiff, Uchiha."

Sasuke was about to say something back when the classroom's door slid shut. Kakashi, their social studies teacher had just entered the room, Eight minuets and forty seven seconds late. That was two minuets earlier that usual.

"Okay, okay. Settle down you guys. Class started so you should all be in your seats. That means you Mr. Uchiha."

Sasuke frowned, but nodded, heading towards his seat where Naruto was waiting for him in the chair to the Uchiha's side. Naruto was about to greet his friend, but noticed the foul aura that surrounded the Uchiha. Naruto knew better than to talk to Sasuke when he was acting like this. The blue eyed fox boy made that mistake once and was in no hurry to repeat the process.

"Okay class, I want you all to sit up for once and work on these handouts. Read, answer the questions, and um...don't forget names. I'm going to read. You guys take care of yourselves," Said Kakashi, leaning back in seat behind his desk, pulling out a small orange handbook Sakura knew and hated all too well.

--+--

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Chapters probably won't come out this long in future. Unless I take a month to write them. I'm getting yelled at for spending so much time on the computer as it is. (sigh) There's not much more I can do.

_(Warning: Random rant)_ Anyway...I am proud to say that I am the happy owner of **Breaking Dawn.**

My friend and I waited in line for an hour alone to get into the store it's self since only so many people were allowed inside for Fire Code reasons and such. And because we got there late our tickets for the reserved copies were the last to be called. So were were hanging out in the Politics section (no one ever goes there) talking about girl stuff till 1:55-1-45) in the morning, waiting for our number to be called. I feel bad that we kept my friends dad up till 2 in the morning waiting for the book.

Since we didn't get our copies till nearly two, other peeps in the store felt it needed to read ahead and yell out all the important stuff that happens to people like us. Walking out into the parking lot a car drove by with someone leaning out the window screaming "Jacob dies!" I almost stopped and cried, believing him for a second. I still haven't finished it but I'm pretty sure he doesn't die.

All in all, it was fun. Anyone else go out for the book?

Please **_review_**!

_**REVIEW **_I SAY!

Ja ne


	6. VI

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel bad.

* * *

Chapter Five

VI

Herder, Better, Faster, Stronger

-

He couldn't keep it to himself anymore. He looked down at the wallet in his hands and them back up at the pink haired girl he was trailing. No, it wasn't stalking. He was trailing her. The photo hidden behind his driver's Id was one of an underground boxer with pink hair and jade green eyes.

Juugo blushed, seeing the photo he had won on an online bet. It was a rare one that showed off Sakura wearing only a black and red sports bra and some tight shorts as she pulled back, ready to deliver a five finger death punch. The pose showed off her ample chest and nicely carved abs in a way rarely seen by the modest boxer.

He had been in love with Sakura ever since he first saw her in the underage rings that pitted ten years olds against one another. It was during a fight, but now hers. He was the one fighting, against his will. Being a giant for his age, his step parents took advantage of his build and forced him to trim for the harm of others. He hated hurting other people more than anything, but sometimes he couldn't control himself.

Sakura's step mother was the one that healed him after he lost that fight. Sakura was there, with her, helping apply the bandages. He remembered her wrapping the white stuff around his arm, taking care not to harm him. She was a quiet girl, stunning and a mature beauty for her age.

It was love at first sight for him.

When he heard she had entered the fighter's ring in the underground he was scared beyond words. What if she got hurt? What if her opponent scarred her? What if they played dirty? What if she lost? What if she crippled herself like that one lady in the movie? What if she was taken advantage of? What if got into drugs? What if she...died. Death was not a rare thing in such a dangerous lifestyle. He couldn't stand that.

He was so scared he though he would die, his heart beat faster than it should, threatening to beat right out of his chest. He watched the fight online with his mentor and was overjoyed to see Sakura skillfully beat her opponent in no more than a few moves. She was beautiful. Watching her fight was like watching her dance. No one else would say that of her, but to him it was all too true.

He watched all her fights, tracked her via the Internet on fan sites like one would for an idolized movie star. He cheered her on, memorized her favorite foods and hobbies and worried for her after she lost a fight and had to pause for recovery. Watching her go down in all that blood was the worst.

He hated watching it. Sometimes he couldn't.

Two years ago, Sakura was excepted into Host Ice. Host was a photography agency that was exclusive to the underground. Ice was the half of the company that showed off it's sexy female fighters. Only the most attractive were allowed in, making the selection slim. That was the day Juugo nearly crapped himself in joy.

The young male looked down at the photo in his wallet, taking it out so that he could see the silver writing scribbled in the bottom right corner.

_Sakura_

He didn't care if it cost him a month's worth of work to beat the sorry wimp in Mizu who had bet against him online. The photo was worth it, since there was only one like it in existence. Back home his computer was littered with common pictures of the pink haired lass.

He watched her turn and head into the girls changing room to get changed for gym. He inwardly cursed himself for not having that class with her. He would have loved to see her in the girl's uniform. He was skipping class just to follow her this far. His teacher would not be happy.

Watching her slender form disappear out of sight, he sighted with ecstasy.

She was worth it.

"Sakura..." he whispered to the wind, holding her photo closer to his chest.

He was shocked beyond belief to find her here in Leaf. The chat rooms didn't even know about her plans to leave after the championship. Much less, to find her here in his high school. They only had one class together, and it was a big class with forty five students, but to see her in person was more than he could ever ask for. It was like a dream come true. Now all he needed was for her to notice him and beg to become his wife and eternal lover. Maybe that was pushing it a little with the dreams come true, but you really can't blame the guy.

"What are you doing out her skipping classes?" someone hissed from behind.He turned and saw it was Karin.

"Kain!"

The red haired sneered at his tone of voice. "Glad to see you haven't gone blind, now answer me. I'm a busy woman and I don't need to be looking out for your oversized neck on top of all these other things I need to do."

"I was just on my way and...I wasn't feeling well," he lamely explained, fear slipping into his voice. Karin was his manager and his slave driver.

She was in the essence, evil to the core. He couldn't let her know about Sakura or his obsession. She would use that against him, or worse, do something to _Sakura_. Oh no, not to Sakura chan. Sure, physically she was no match to the fighting angel, but Karin had connections that would hurt anyone's career.

"Sick?"

"N-no. I'm f-feeling better now."

"Good. Then get going, I don't want to see you getting detention and having to miss practice. You're pathetic as it is with so much help. If you didn't have me, you'd be nothing," she hissed, walking around him.

Juugo nodded, slipping his photo back into his wallet. "I understand."

Karin stopped, a few feet in front of him and turned to look over her shoulder. "You had better. You've been acting weird on me lately. See that it doesn't affect your fighting. That's the last thing I need from you."

Sakura entered his mind, and he nodded hastily.

'_Must protect her. Must protect her. Must protect Sakura.'_

_"_Hai_"_

Karin made a face before turning sharply with an agitated grunt, heading towards the back of the school where all the regular skippers congregated. She had a few rounds to make before the smoke of their drugs and smokes clung to her designer blouse.

Juugo wasn't her only client. Of course he wouldn't be. She was the kind of rich girl that never had enough. Even if the young giant gave up 90 of his winnings she still needed the 60 and 45 percent of the other fighters under her management.

Who knew owning a gym and few free memberships would get you this far.

Karin's dad was the owner of a small chain of gyms that were ideal for underground street fighters. Ever since she was a little girl, Karin has known of the darker world her dad dabbled in on the side. Underground fighters came in every day to train along with the wannabe's and the losers, as well as the potentially great and clueless.

That last group was for Juugo. He was a great fighter, if not a bit of a whimp. If he actually knew how to manage his fights, like nearly every decent fighter did, he would be making a whole lot more than he was now. Karin couldn't let that happen, so of course she kept him on a shoort leash.

Pushing the heavy metal door open, Karin made sure it swung all the way back and hit the wall, making a loud banging sound that startled most of the guys out of their hazy stupor. "Wake up sleeze balls, it's pay day."

"Karin chan, you're messing with mah high..." one of the students slurred, obviously on drugs.

"Too bad deep shit," she said, kicking him aside, not caring for someone who didn't have money for her. "As for the rest of you... Empty the wallets crack heads."

"Man you're such a whore, Karin," said Tenten, throwing her cash at the red haired. "I'm starting to doubt that keeping my age a secret isn't worth so much of my winnings. I need to live of this, remember."

"Cry me a river bitch. Kiba, you're turn." Her scarlet eyes narrowed at the displeased look on his face as he pulled out his wallet. "You don't really have to pay for this, you know. I'm sure Hinata chan's father would just love to find her sneaking out to meet her ex boyfriend at illegal underground street fights."

"Just shut up and stay that way, ho."

"What a 'tude." The sly smile melted into one of a flirts as she pranced up to the last member of the gang and sank into his lap. "Sasuke kun, I think you still owe me you're pay too. You don't know how hard it is to keep quiet when you're father's the most powerful man in the underground. You know how much he'd give me if I told him you were going against his wishes and fighting in sound?"

Sasuke calm pushed the red head off his lap and handed her an envelope filled with money. "Take this and leave us alone, Karin."

She frowned, not liking the normal way of paying he always choose. "You know I'd keep quiet for a smaller price. Things can go back to way they were before and you wouldn't have to keep emptying your wallets every time I see you."

Sasuke glared angrily when she mentioned the past he'd rather forget. She really disgust even him. The fact that he was black mailing him about matters concerning his family just added to that disgust. He doubted if there was a human being he hated more than Karin "Just take the damn money and leave."

Knowing when a battle was lost, the red head nodded and did just that,leaving four angry teens to glare at her back. She knew they hated her, she wasn't a fool, but a weekend at the mall shopping for shoes that could buy a car would make everything better once again. Aka's had a new shade of lipstick she wanted to try out, after all.

-

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-

Sakura chewed on the bottom of her lip, staring down at the slightly wrinkled slip of paper she held in her hands with mild interest. It was her free ticket out of gym for the day, and yes, it was forged in the quick five minuets she used between classes.

She hated gym more than any other subject and never participated in the 'waste of time' as she referred to it, hence the reason she was failing it. Now don't get her wrong, Sakura was an excellent athlete and could pass gym in a breeze but decided against it. She made the mistake of showing off a long time ago back at her old school and she sorely regretted it. Too much unwanted attention from the teachers.

And on top of it she had seen the PE uniform and there was no way-NO WAY-she was wearing that thing. Honestly, did they really expect girls to wear that pitiful excuse for a bottom in front of a gym full of perverted guys. There were so many of them! Had no one any decency for the bodies of the young and innocent? Okay, most of these girls weren't innocent, but still! There's no excuse.

"Then again I don't think the girl's mind showing off their legs in front of all the males," she muttered using her logical side over her passionate/short tempered side. Sure, she had seen worse underground, (who haden't) but it was still disgusting to her, especially in a public school! What were the teacher thinking?

_'Must be guys.'_

An image of the girls in the uniform flased through her mind.

"Defiantly, guys."

A girl running in the Uniform soon followed.

"Perverted guys."

She was already late for her class by about five minuets but didn't bother rushing since she was only going to sit it out anyway. But finally her feet led her to a pair of heavy double doors marked in big green letters 'GYM'. A few of her stray locks blew around her face when a loud roar of 'YOUTH' echoed thought the auditorium.

"What the…" She let her sentence hang in the air as her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Now Sakura was a pretty brave young girl and loved her vast collection of horror movies that she watched late at night by herself without a slight fear of their content but even she could get scared sometimes and this was one of those times.

There standing in front of her, cheering to her classmates that were running laps with cries of 'Youth' ,and 'springtime of youth,' and 'Blossom of youth' and more youth catchphrases she didn't bother to remember was the scariest thing she ever saw. He was a pretty tall man clad in a tight green jumpsuit with a pair of orange legwarmers and bowl cut hairstyle.

"Holy!" she breathed in fright and shock. This guy just couldn't be for real. I mean who wears jumpsuits anymore and in green no less? It was a bad Bruce Lee makeover gone horribly wrong. Inwardly she wailed at the destruction of one of her idol's images.

Then the really scary part came, he turned around and noticed her! "Why hello there little spring flower of youth!" he greeted a bit too enthusiastically for her taste. "How are you this fine youthful day?" he finished with a ping from his blindingly bright white teeth that could put the sun to shame.

_'Little spring flower of youth? what the hell was that? Who goes around making up nicknames like that for students? Who is this guy and what is he high on? Teacher on drugs!'_

"…F…fine." She stuttered a bit intimidated and more than creped out at what he called her.

"That is absolutely youthful, now if I am correct you are the new transfer student. Why are you not in your uniform?" He asked.

Sapping out of her shock for a brief moment she remembered the slip of paper that would deliver her from the torture of PE. Handing it to him, she watched as he scanned it and frowned.

"An injury? Oh how un-youthful. I am sorry….Sakura but this means you can not run 100 laps with the rest of your classmates today. There are some bleachers over to the side where you can wait for the end of this class." he replied while pointing to a set of bleachers set against the wall.

Sakura looked over his shoulder where a small group of students were running around the outline of the gym. Already a few of the girls were staggering, close to exhaustion.

"That's okay I guess, I can do my homework while I wait." She replied nodding her head in the direction of her school bag that held her text books.

"Ah how youthful! You wish not to waste your time but instead desire to youthfully do your assigned work!" He cried pumping a fist into the air.

"Sure...will do."

Sakura laughed nervously and scooted back towards the bleachers wanting to get away from the we-different gym teacher that was really freaking her out at this point. Dropping her bag at the bottom bleacher she reclined against the metal seats and pulled out a text book.

"Run with the springtime of youth young ones!"

Sakura shivered, fearing the green clad gym teacher. The world was a scary, scary place. Both on the topside and below ground.

With one hand she plugged the ends of her i-pod's ear-buds into her own ears and relaxed into her music as she continued to read. I had become a bad habit of hers, she knew, but she just couldn't break it. Her music was almost like a drug. Now most people would find reading while listening to music distracting but Sakura was so use to it that it now had the reversed affect on her. Slightly bobbing her head to her Flyleaf and Paramore music she let her eyes fall over the words in her book, devouring their knowledge eagerly.

Lazily she let her eyes peek over the top of her book to gaze at the tiring teenagers that huffed and panted. She couldn't have been more than ten fifteen minuets late. She sneered more to herself than these kids out how long or how short they lasted ruing a few simple laps. And on top of that they were slow! Did they ever get out for a bit of exercising? Most likely not.

Clicking her tongue against the top of her mouth she returned to her book tapping the side to the beat of an Three days Grace song she really enjoyed right before her song switched over to Daft Punk's song, Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, bring old memories with it.

"Sakura! Put more weight into your punches! You're hitting like a kid!"

"Make your attacks stronger! Your opponent won't hold back on you!"

"Run another five laps! I want to see you drenched in sweet young lady!"

"Twenty more push ups and no complaining about how tired you are. Can't take a nap in the middle of a Fight!"

"You're not fighting easy suckers out there, close those openings!"

"That's right. Hold that position for another eight minuets!"

"Come on Sakura, work at it!"

"Harder!"

"Better"

"Faster!"

"Stronger!"

Thud

"Gai sensei! Something is wrong with Sakura san!"

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I wanna see if anyone can guess who Juugo's past is based off of. Here's a hit. He's a giant in a really popular movie from 1987. I'm not giving any more hints even if his past wasn't explained in the movie. The book is so much better. Lot's of detail.

Up yeah, anyway, this was really short, and for that I apologize. I could have done more with Karin, but I really hate that bitch and writing her is like...ewww. No thanks. She will be, of course, the baddest of the bad in my story, but she won't be making too many cameo's.

Because I said something like this in the last chapter, I though I might as well ask it here_. _How many of you who have read the Twilight series, have read Stephenie Meyer's book the Host? For those who have, which did you prefer? I'm just really curious about stuff like this.

Please **_review_**!

_**REVIEW **_I SAY!

Ja ne


	7. VII

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel bad.

* * *

Chapter Seven

VII

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'_I was twelve when I first noticed the change._

_The shower's water was scalding hot, filling up the room with steam as I stood frozen in front of the mirror. The long, jagged opening that had cut across my chest and in between my breasts, was gone. All that was left as evidence was a small pink line that was fading to a peachy color right before my eyes. My hands were trembling as I searched for the raised lump that should have been there with the dried blood._

_ It was smooth under my touch._

_The tears of fear mixed with the streams of water as I screamed and stumbled backwards in shock. I couldn't believe it was my body I was seeing. I turned around suddenly, my long, wet hair flying out around me as I let my scared back see the mirror in my hast to flea from the scene._

_"Chiyo baa sama!"_

_She said it was because of that the disease had manifested its self so early that I was without another scar. Her voice was grave as she explained how I would die an early death, thanks to my body's greed for stealing cells that were needed later in life. That didn't matter to me. As long as I had this cell regeneration, nothing would be able to hurt me from that moment on. I would be invincible._

_I knew this to be true after I woke up from being run over by a trunk, and later, Suna's famed, underground bullet train. All that remained as proof for the accidents were a few bloodied rags that had once served as clothes. I'd wake up dizzy and disorientated, thinking the experience I lived through had been just a dream. None of it could have been real, right? Cutting under the water in the shower proved a less painful way to prove my unbelievable ability._

_And yet, in all of this, there were still some things that couldn't be healed._

_The scars from the fire that twisted up and down my back wouldn't heal, because they were old wounds that came before the sickness woke up. Those ugly manifestations of sin that stuck to my body would forever haunt me in the mirror when I chose to turn around. That was something I couldn't heal._

_ So, I asked my caretaker for her to do something for me for the first and last time._

_Now, over those scars there is a brown trunk that is surrounded by pink and light red flowers of a Sakura tree that covers the ugly burns. My back is no longer ugly and gnarled. It's tattooed with the ink of a cherry blossom's petals. And just like the tree I am named after, I will keep coming back every season to fight until I'm cut down...and even then, I'll leave a stump for people to stand on.'_

-

Being in and out of the hospital with as many injuries from the fights she took place in, the young female boxer had been exposed to the nasty smell of medicine and sterilizers more than most people her age. However, that didn't mean she was tolerant of the God forsaken stench, birthed from the bowels of hell. In fact, she hated that smell more than most anything in the world. She was only exposed to that smell when she was weak enough to let herself get hurt, so it brought back bad memories.

Mumbling to herself in irritation, Sakura stirred in her bed and breathed out a bit too loudly than she should have if she wanted to avoid detection.

"Oh you're awake!"

Sakura twitched when she heard the voice of someone she was not familiar with. Rolling her neck, she let her head fell to the side so that she could get a look at who was sitting in the chair next to her bed. Her vision was still blurry, but she could see a mass of blond hair and what appeared to be a pair of bright blue eyes staring back at her. "Neh?"

"You really scared a lot of us when you just fell over and passed out. We though there was something really seriously wrong with you, but the nurse just said it was from over exhaustion. You must have been pushing yourself yesterday or something. You really shouldn't do that anymore, since you seem to take badly towards working too much."

What was this kid's name again? Something that started with a N. "Who are you?"

"Ah, my name's Naruto! I was with Sasuke and Neji yesterday when you were at your locker. You remember us, right?"

Sakura narrowed her perfectly shaped eyes of bright green in a lazy manner only she could pull off and stared hard at the blue eyed boy before her. Naruto flinched under her gaze with good reason. "No. Not particularly." That was only half a lie on her par. She remember the encounter, but not because she wanted to. It was only a meaningless scene in the back of her mind.

Naruto sweat dropped a bit and chuckled nervously. "Maybe you got bumped on the head a bit too much. I've never known a girl to forget someone like Sasuke or Neji. And at least I'm loud enough to be remembered most of the time..."

"I'm not your average girl, I'll tell you that now so, that you are aware later on."

"Huh? Later on? What was that suppose to mean?"

Sakura sighed and rolled her head back so she was staring up at the ceiling and it's popcorn like surface. She remembered hating ceilings like that. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Then with some effort she rolled back her blankets and dangled her legs over the side of the bed, preparing to jump off.

"Hey, hey, hey wait! You can't be getting up yet! You still should rest until the nurse comes back. She has to check you before you can leave."

Ignoring him, Sakura slipped off from the bed and began straightening her cloths and patting the wrinkles out. "Were you the one that brought me here?"

Naruto blushed a little but nodded. "Yeah, I carried you."

"Than I'll thank you. But for now I have to get to class. I'll see you around Naruto san."

"But-"

With a wave over the shoulder Sakura picked up her bag and began walking out the door with a straight pace that never wavered once. It was the walk of someone with confidence and determination. The majority of people who saw her wouldn't notice this, but no one could deny that there was an aura around her that demanded respect, keeping her head held high.

"I really appreciate your kindness Naruto san," Sakura called reaching the door.

"You don't remember do you?" Naruto called out in a bit of a desperate tone, causing Sakura to halt in her tracks. "You don't seem like the same person you were years ago, but I know that the kind Sakura chan is in there deep down, sleeping. That Sakura chan is too strong and stubborn to stay down for long."

Sakura paused, trying to make sense of his words but came to nothing. Her childhood was remote and distant in her mind. It held no real value so she chose to forget it. From what Naruto told her, it sounded like he knew her from some time long ago. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're talking about."

"That's okay, the Sakura chan I know will come out soon enough. You don't have to remember me. I'll see you in the next class I guess, okay Sakura chan?"

She paused, feeling weird and out of place for once. She wanted to walk off, cold and distant as ever, but for some reason, that didn't feel right. "Ah, fine. I still have one more class left before school ends. See ya around Naruto."

Naruto smiled and nodded, "See ya, Sakura chan." Sakura didn't say anything more as she shifted the weight of her bag and left the room. Naruto smiled brightly to himself, noticing how she had dropped the san from his name.

-

World History was an advanced class that went deep into detail about foreign countries and their (you guessed it) history. Sakura had good marks, so she was able to take the class with the rest of the third and forth years.

This didn't mean she liked the class. No. She much preferred classes that were easy so that she could sleep the whole time or draw sketchy anime characters. She didn't have troubles with advanced classes, but she was super lazy when it came to school work and had zero motivation.

"Okay class, as you know we've been planning a one week project for quite some time and it's come time to pair up for the event. I'll call out your names now. "Karin, Aoi, Seki for team one. Itachi, Tobi and Hana for team two. Team three, Sakura, Deidara and Zetsu. Team four will have Ume, Shinzu and Nana..."

Sakura snapped to attention when she heard her name being called and tuned out the rest of the names. Zetsu and Deidara both sounded like people she didn't know. But judging by the flow of people headed towards and away from her seat, she would guess they were the green haired youth and the Blond male with long hair that dropped over one eye.

"You're Sakura, un?" the blond one asked with a bright smile and a wave with one gloved hand.

Sakura nodded her head slowly, not really knowing what to make of his happy outlook. "Hai."

"The name's Deidara and this here is Zetsu. I guess we're going to be your partners for this project," He replied pulling up a chair and falling down into it. Zetsu pulled up a chair as well but sat himself down in a softer manner with a bit more honor to his demeanor.

"What is this project we're suppose to be working on?"

"Ah that's right, you just moved here so you wouldn't know. It's pretty much something on American history. You can build a model of a civil war fort or write a poem. Just something to present to the class that takes at least twelve hours to work on, yeah.

"Do you have any ideas?" Sakura asked, looking at Zetsu who sat quietly between the two.

"I...am okay with anything...I guess."

"That's good, cause I already have an idea for the project. A clay model, painted, of a 19th century house. I have the layout and everything planned out."

"What do you need from us?" Sakura asked, knowing he would do the clay part.

"If you want to help, I need a painter and someone to work on the shrubs on the outside. Whatever is good with you two."

"I can paint, if you can do the shrubs Zetsu san?"

Zetsu looked at Sakura and nodded. Sakura took that as a yes and tried to shake off the feeling of someone watching her. Zetsu seemed to be studying her a bit too much for her taste. What was wrong with her. Did she have something on her face? In her teeth? That would be embarasing.

"Great, look at this design and we can pick out the colors and plants, yeah." Deidara explained pulling out some designs from a folder.

For the remainder of the class Sakura and Zetsu looked over the designs and Deidara walked them through on what he thought it should look like. After a while, Zetsu stood up to take a quick break and left the two alone. Deidara sighed removing his one fingerless glove and wiped it on his pants leg, hoping to reduce the seat. It was then that Sakura caught a glimpse of the burn mark on his hand. Without thinking she let the word escape her lips and voice it's self.

"Iwa."

Deidara looked surprised at first, even a little shocked, but smiled softly and chuckled,pulling his glove back on. "I guess you known then. About that other world."

"I know enough to remember Iwa hated Leaf enough to want it hurt it, inside and out," Sakura replied with narrowed eyes, her every guard turned on as she watched the blond with weary eyes. She didn't trust him. Anyone from Iwa was a bad sign.

"I know you won't trust me, but if it matters at all to you, I hate Iwa as much as you do."

Sakura narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Believe it. It's just the government that hates Leaf, not the majority of it's people. Families like my own were taxed to poverty and killed on the streets because of the greed the government bathed in. After watching my family die like that, you think I still love them?" he asked with a chuckle, grin still in place.

"You worked for them in the Underground," Sakura pointed out.

"Only cause I had to. There is scarcely a bloke in the lifestyle over there that likes where he is, ya know? I was pretty much sold into that life, hating ever day of it. That's why I came to Leaf, un."

Sakura pressed her lips together and furrowed her brow. "It's not that simple, I'm not an idiot. As if Iwa would actually let one of the underground solders waltz across enemy lines and join their ranks."

"I had a lot of help. Working as a double agent for six years will get you that. Remember the terrorist bombing on July 8th?"

"The flashy explosions that blew up the High stone stadium?" Sakura asked, knowing the bombing took place to cave in one of the upper levels of an underground ring that specialized in drug dealing. The fighting rinks were much deeper down for obvious reasons, one being the threat of bombing. Sakura remembered the day the bombing took place and was glad when she found out the stadium was empty and a lot of drug dealers had lost their meth labs and lifelong businesses. Iwa was not happy about the loss of their stadium and shady source of income.

"Glad you liked my handiwork?"

Sakura's eyes grew wide with amazement. "That was you?"

"Yup, it was really something, wasn't it? I doubt anyone else could pull off something so flashy, un."

"Stop showing off so much in such a public place, Deidara," Zetsu interrupted.

Sakura flushed in embarrassment, knowing she was partly at fault for bringing up the matter.

"No one's going to hear us this far back, right Sakura chan?"

"I...yeah. There's not a whole lot of people that could hear, regardless, I think it's best to keep this conversation to a minimal," She answered looking around, knowing no one had heard their conversation.

"See, Sakura chan agrees with me!" Deidara chirped, swinging an arm around her shoulder in a half hug, smiling brightly like a blond idiot.

Sakura was going to say something before lipping the male's arm off her shoulder when the dark haired Uchiha she remembered from the other day stood up and approached them with a stern expression. What was his first name again...Itachi wasn't it?

"Class is over you two. You can let Sakura san go now Deidara." His tone left no room for argument.

Deidara pouted like a child who was denied a treat and allowed Sakura to stand up and retreat to her desk and belongings with a curt nod from her head and a silent message held behind her eyes.

Once she was gone, Itachi turned to glare hatefully down at the blond. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You know what I mean."

Deidara folded his hands behind his head and looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about, Itachi."

The Uchiha frowned. "Don't even try acting less intelligent than normally this time, Deidara. You know the rule regarding new members."

"Yeah, but she's so cute. How do you expect me to act like that when she so bloody adorable, un?"

"The same way the rest of us manage."

Deidara looked up at the dark haired youth and smirked. "Does that include you. Uchiha?"

Itachi was silent for a long while before replying with a monotone command that ended their discussion. "Just leave the negotiations to me and stay relatively distant for the time being." With that said, he was gone.

"Relatively distant eh? That's going to be pretty hard when we're partners on this project, eh Zetsu?"

The red haired youth with golden eyes sighed, knowing his old friend too well to stop what was bound to take place in the coming week. "Just try to be quiet about it, will you?" Sasori said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what's the fun if you can't express your art in things like this? I want to have a bit of fun."

"Deidara...." His tone was warning.

"I'm just kidding. I'll see ya around," the blond laughed, standing up and gathering his stylishly torn school bag in one fluid motion. "Don't worry too much about me, I can take care of myself pretty well, un."

Sasori's expression was anything but amused as he watched his friend retreat in a hurry. The blond was long gone and nowhere near close enough to hear the words of Suna's strongest male fighter. "It's not you I'm worried about, baka."

Tobi popped up behind Zetsu and glanced at the retreating figure of his upperclassman. "What's wrong, zetsu sempi?"

the older classmate sighed heavily and shook his head before answering in a voice that was dry and cracking. "Too much, kid...too much."-

-

Sauke kun, you're playing with ear again. You must be thinking about something really hard. I know that's a habit of you's," Ino purred from across the room, pulling her shirt back into place before fixing her hair and putting in her dangly silver hoop earrings.

"Hn."

The part time sale girl stutter over to the brooding Uchiha and began to rub his back. "Are you planning on destroying someone? You were so violent with me I could almost taste your killing intent. There must be someone you hate a lot."

"Not hate..."

"What?" Ino asked, suprised to recieve an answer.

"I just want to destroy here. I want to see her broken. I don't know why I'm feeling this way now, but I want to see her bloodied and socially destroyed." His voice was low and cold, chilling the air around the two a good three or four degrees.

Ino stuttered under the preasure. "W-wh-who is it?"

"Sakura Haruno."

-

-

-

* * *

I think Sakura has too many men interested in her (there is never a thing as too many men!) and I hate Sasuke, **_soooo_** I'm making him the enemy! Everything works out perfectly like this, no?

(Warning, random ranting ahead)

Holy Sh*t, I almost died of shock (in a good way) the other day when I opened my email and saw a PM from Lady Hanaka about the amazing fan art she did for Softer than Scarlet. It made me so happy and inspired me more than most will ever know. I want to thank the lovely Landy Hanaka for reading, reviewing, and illustrating this story and I plan on updating my other stories soon. Please go check out her art!

Please **_review_**!

_**REVIEW **_I SAY!

Ja ne


	8. VIII

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it.

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel bad.

* * *

Chapter Eight

VIII

-

"_Now_ I know why they call you the legendary demon of the mist," Sakura hissed, trying to hide her obvious fear and anger as she beheld the frilly laced waitress uniform Zabuza had ordered her to wear. He was holding it like it was an Oscar he had the privilege of presenting to a rising talent.

"Tough luck kid. This will help business tons if you wear this. Don't think I haven't seen the way the male customers have been looking at you and increasing in number. It's perfect, the girls come here for the guys and the males come here for you Sakura." Zabuza was grinning wickedly as he tossed the dress at Sakura. She caught it on reflex before holding it away from her face at an arm's length as if it held a stench.

"You mean the _perverted_ males. I can't believe you would promote something like this with me as the victim Zabuza! You're just too sick and twisted. You sure your mother didn't drop you on your head when you were a kid?"

"What's wrong with a little eye candy to help sales. I told you the amount of guys coming in here has doubled, maybe even tripled," he replied with a shrug, not really caring if she was uncomfortable. He was, after all, a business man, even if the Ice cream shop was nothing but a cover job.

"Have you really seen this thing? If I bend down with this those guys will get a pantie view and I kind of like keeping my panties to myself. Plus, look at this," Sakura growled pointing to the front.

"The corset will push your boobs up and provide you with maximum cleavage, so what? It's meant to be like that. Though, you wouldn't need any help if you didn't wear a sports bra all the time. I hear from Tsunade you grew up last year finally. We were all really worried you would stay flat as a board for the longest time," Zabuza laughed, not the least bit ashamed about what they were talking about. Sakura was bright tomato red.

Sakura didn't know if the heat in her face was due more to anger or embarrassment, since she was feeling both with such an alarming passion. "Do you know how uncomfortable that makes me? I don't like guys getting a look at my in that way. There's a reason I choose to dress modesty. Turning down so many guys is a real pain in the ass."

"You've done it a hundred times before."

"That's beside the point. I can't wear this!"

"Can we come in yet?" Suigetsu asked from on the other side of the door, impatient to see Sakura in the maid outfit he saw Zabuza pick out. Of course he would know about something like this. He was, after all, the one who suggested it.

Sakura was positively livid at the question.

"No way in hell fish breath," the young girl roared, feeling ready to tear someone's head off at any given moment. Zabuza couldn't remember a time she was this wild with rage. Unless you count the one time when-

"But I want to see Sakura chan in the dress!" he called back.

Sakura snarled like a demon, glaring at the door. Where were Kimimaro and Haku? _They_ would side with her. They always had a problem with her wearing anything too revealing in public. She really wasn't against the lack of clothing, but rather the lack of clothing in public. Since she was little, Sakura had slumber parties co-ed with her underground friends, sometimes dressed in nothing more than her underwear and a loose robe to cover her back.

"Can I kill him?" she asked her employer.

"No, I need him, just put that on and come out. It's long enough so you can bend over, but I would still suggest you use your knees when picking up broken objects of customers _accidentally_ throw-I mean _drop_ over the side of the table."

" _Accidentally?"_

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Fine, whatever," Sakura mumbled turning around as Zabuza shut the door behind him, allowing her some privacy to get dressed. Zabuza had too much blackmail on her to argue with, even if this was one of the most embarrassing things she ever had to do.

"Neh, neh, Zabuza, when is Sakura coming out? I really want to see her!"

"Shut up kid. You don't see Haku or Kimimaro twitching like this do you? Seriously, you've become more of a pervert than I though you would be."

Suigetsu huffed, eager to deny the accusation with only a fain blush of embarrassment. "I'm not a pervert. I've just never seen Sakura chan in a dress, that's all. And besides, those guys want to see her in a dress just as much as I do. They're just hiding it really well."

"Sort of like you?" Zabuza was mocking his ability to hide emotions.

"That's beside the point. Those guys have know her longer than I have and have seen her in her sleepwear before when they went to visit and I _know_ it gets hot in Suna. It's a known fact that they've seen more of her than I have so why don't you call them perverts?"

"Because the don't stalk me or try to take photos without my consent," Sakura replied from behind the pair, keeping the door mostly closed to hide her frilly form.

"You have work in a few minuets, Sakura, you might as well come out now and get this over with," Zabuza said, knowing she would have to break sooner or later.

As if like magic, Kimimaro and Haku were behind their boss, eagerly awaiting the sight they knew they would soon be blessed with. Of course they would protest about her going out in something so revealing after they saw her, but not untill they saw for themselves how good-er, how bad it really was.

Sakura sighed, pulling the door back before stepping out with a shaking steeps. The dress was mostly a light blue that stopped under her bust with two straps on the side that curved around her breasts to keep the blue part of the dress up. Underneath the blue part was a ruffly white shirt with bell sleeves and a low front. The dress came with thigh high stockings to match the shirt with blue baby doll shoes for her feet. She bit her lip, playing with the hem of her dress that was fluff out thanks to the many layers of white lace peeping out from underneath. She had let her hair go loose, only holding the front pat back with a small blue lolita headdress.

She blushed under their stares, looking away. "S-stop staring at me like that! I don't like this at all and you're just making it worse."

The boys remained quiet until the youngest and most perverted of them burst out in surprise. "What the hell, Sakura, they're _huge_!"

That seemed to trigger it and soon everyone, excluding Sakura, was on the floor with gushing nosebleeds. It seems what Suigetsu had said about her breasts had been true. Without her layers or the sports bra, they had been pushed up to a high C size, close to D. Pretty soon, she'd be another Tsunade.

"Th-that's only because of the outfit," she mumbled, looking away. "You shouldn't even be looking at me like that, so shut up!"

"I agree with Sakura. You can't let her wear this!" Haku protested, covering up the blood that was falling down his nose.

"Haku is right, this is indecent," Kimimaro added, having more luck with his nosebleed. At least he was able to keep it from staining his work clothes. Haku and Suigetsu would either have to change or wear a smock. Or go shirtless....but the thought of so many fangirls crawling over one another to get to him wasn't a pleasant one. No, Haku would not go shirtless. The property damage would be too much.

Sakura shot the two boy a grateful smile and before they knew it the nosebleeds were back with a vengeance. "See, they agree with me!"

"The rush hour is starting soon, everybody back out, we're done talking about this." Zabuza was quick to retreat, fighting with his own nosebleed. It was terribly embarrassing for a grown man like him who had possessed a number of girlfriends over the years to be so affected by a younger female like Sakura.

The distressed female looked like she was about to cry. The two boys left behind couldn't stand the sight. Haku, being adept in sewing, quickly pulled out the hem in her dress to make it a good three and a half inches longer. "Here, Sakura chan, this should help a little bit."

Kimimaro was behind her, pinning the straps closer to one another with a pin, effectively pulling up the front of the dress. "..."

"Thanks you guys. I owe you both one."

"Don't mention it," Kimimaro replied, quietly. "This is wrong."

"Tell me about it," Sakura mumbled, about to cry.

Haku was by her side pushing her bangs out of her hair. "Cheer up Sakura chan, it's only for today. When you come in tomorrow, this dress will accidently be found in the shredder, destroyed beyond repair!"

Despite his girlish appearance (and habits), Haku was a deadly enemy in his own respect. There was a reason the legendary demon of the mist was interesting in him when he was nothing more than a small boy. The thought of Haku on her side once more lifted Sakura's spirits a bit.

Haku was one of the few friends she had shared her secret with. Both Haku and Kimimaro knew, both vowing to keep the information between themselves and not let Zabuza or anyone else know. It was actually an accident, since she never planned on letting either of them know.

But as fate/karma/whatever you want to call it would have it, the situation arouse when she and her friends were ambushed by knifers. No matter how good of a boxer she was, when caught off guard and outnumber by stronger male fighters wielding weapons, there is little you can do. But of course her instincts kicked in to protect her friends and she ended up with more than one vital wounds from the stabbing. They were about to call a ambulance but she begged for them not to and instead call her new legal guardian who happened to also be her personal doctor. They were doubtful, but did so and were amazed with what they saw .Of course they would have been heartbroken if they learned of the downside to this little cursed blessing, so Sakura requested Tsunade didn't mention that part.

The other two people Sakura remembered telling were Konan and Temari. Both were older sister figures in the girl's life and extremely trustworthy. They had also taken it upon themselves to help ensure that her secret was kept just that-a secret. When it came time for her to be rushed off to a hospital where she knew it was would be found in her blood, they were there to escort them to their homes and watch over her while she healed. It was almost required of her to share her secret with a female who would stand by her when the bleeding pains came and the needed drugs to stop them from escalating.

Sure, she could have asked a guy, but that might have been awkward since a lot of the times she had to remove her shirt to expose the wounds and watch to make sure they healed all the way. If they didn't the dosage needed to be increased. And sometimes it happened that many of her wounds were found near or on her bust, requiring her to remove her bra. It wasn't like in the movies where the wounds and cuts always seemed to magically avoid a woman's breasts. Weird as it seemed, that was the grim truth. She couldn't have felt as comfortable with anyone other than Temari or Konan by her side to watch over her. (Not including Tsunade, of course)

Sakura felt herself grow sad, knowing Temari was back in Suna most likely and Konan was in rain. Sakura was a strong girl in many respects, but she liked to be babied and looked after by older females. It reminded her of her own mother before she was killed.

"Sakura, our shift is starting now. You ready?"

The young girl nodded, lying to herself and her friends as she followed them out into the common area where the traffic was picking up for the day.

-

-

"I don't know why you bothered to drag me out here Naruto. Kiba, I understand, but not myself," Neji grumbled, following Naruto and Kiba down the path of the sidewalk to where there were planning on eating. "I don't even like sweets."

"Of course you do, you're just not willing to admit it," Naruto laughed.

"No, I really don't care for them. Remember that so you don't drag me along the next time it's your turn to pick where we eat."

Kiba laughed from in-between the two. "You two are seriously amazing. Like, you can't go one hour without finding something to bicker about. I don't remember a time when it was ever peaceful between the two of you. At least you don't fight back like Sasuke does, Neji."

The Hyuga huffed, looking away. "I am not as immature as the Uchiha. Do not put me in the same lot as him."

"Sure, sure, sure. Whatever you say," Kiba laughed, waving his friend off.

It was a weird and wavering ritual of theirs that they tried to keep despite their hectic lifestyles. Every first and last friday of the month they would get together and walk down to a restaurant or outlet to eat or snack at. They often fought over where it would be, so they decided to set up turns. It was Naruto's turn to choose the place and no matter how much either of his two friends disliked the place, they _had_ to tag along.

The only exception they allowed was if it had something to do with them getting into their desired careers.

AKA the underground.

For women and girls, they were allowed entrance sooner since their bodies aged differently. They wore out earlier or something like that. It had something to do with the rules the had in the gymnastics as well. Guys had to wait a bit longer before getting into the business. And then, of course there was the issue of getting into fights. Not just anyone can walk in and become a well payed champion. There was a lot of money involved in these fights, and most of these high paying people like to know where their cash was going. They didn't like it when strangers took their money. There had to be connections.

Connections these boys were struggling to make.

Naruto sighed, throwing his arms behind his head and looking up towards the lightly clouded sky. "I tried to get Sasuke to come with us, but he has some lame ass business with Karin...again. Damn, I hate that bitch."

Kiba growled at the name. "He's always busy with something, isn't he?"

"Seems like it," Naruto replied.

"..." Neji kept silent, not finding the conversation worthy of my thought. He didn't like Sasuke at all, even though they were friends on the surface. Over the past few month-since Sakura arrived- the fake friendship between them had started to fall apart. Why? He knew but wouldn't admit.

"Hey I think I can see it from here," Naruto pointed out.

Kiba groaned. "You're taking us to an ice cream gig? It's like, still freaking March, dude. I don't want Ice cream."

"They still have cake," Naruto mumbled, annoyed with the lack of joy he was getting out of his friends.

"Still...," Kiba grumbled walking through the front doors with his two friends, stopping suddenly.

"You could at least-**What**** the hell**?! Sakura chan!" Naruto cried out in surprise and shock finding the pink haired girl waiting on a table of three drooling males. Hearing her name being called, the girl looked up and grimaced, seeing three familiar faces.

'_Shit_. They're going to think I'm a slut.'

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, smiling like an idiot all of a sudden.

Sakura blushed in embarrassment and looked away. "I'm working here, baka. What are you doing here?"

"We're here to eat," Kiba cut in with a snicker, throwing an arm around the stone shocked Hyuga. "Right Neji?"

Neji dumbly nodded, not being able to peel his eyes off the uniform she was wearing. The only reason Kiba was able to resist was because he was imagining Hinata in his mind wearing the same dress. That almost made the dog lover drool.

"Will you wait on us, Sakura chan?" Naruto asked, siting down with his friends.

"That's my job isn't it?" Sakura sighed tiredly. "Let me get you some menus."

"Hey wait, you can't barge in like that, we were talking to Sakura chan!" some random male cut in. He had been sitting at the table where Sakura was a moment earlier. He was angry at having his time chatting with the woman cut so short.

"Tough luck dude," Naruto chuckled, baiting the man without knowing it. One thing lead to another and the next thing she knew she was in the middle of a stand up fight between not just Naruto and the unnamed male, but half the males in the room. There were shoes thrown and papers were up in the air and Sakura was caught in the middle of all of it, finding it hard to dodge so many plates and books.

Haku was by her side in an instant to shield her and Kimimaro was there to catch her as she fell from a stay biology text book. Before she had the chance to stand on her own, the doors to the shop were thrown open and everything was pulled into a hush at the sight of the trio who oozed power.

The one in the front was especially frightening as he took in the sight before him-apperantly not liking how Kimimaro was holding Sakura. When he spoke it sounded like a demon's hiss. "_**What the hell...?"**_

"Gaara kun!"

-

-

* * *

Gaara is here, Gaara is here! Wohoooo I'm going to go dance. I know a lot of you were asking when he was going to show up so...there he is, for all you who asked. I'm glad he was finally able to make his long, overdue appearance-though he's not too happy here. The author is evil.

Please **_review_**!

_**REVIEW **_I SAY!

Ja ne


	9. IX

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav and alert it if you enjoyed it, (or really just review, that's all).

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel really bad, seeing as how it's turning sour.

* * *

Chapter Eight

VIII

-

Like any other time he entered a room, the first thing Gaara saw was Sakura. This did not change when he entered the tacky ice cream shop. The first thing he saw was his precious, lovely, angelic, beautifle, desirable, amazing, pow-ahem-Sakura. She was dressed in the lolita styled uniform Zabuza had reserved for her and he hat to admit, she looked adorable dressed like that. The first thing that ran though his mind was 'my Sakura chan looks so hot' or something like that. His idiot of a brother was out with a nosebleed, being the pervert he was.

After a second of blushing at Sakura's dress and calling her cute in his head, the next thing he noticed was the white haired male that was holding his Sakura chan by the wist and then the chocolate haired youth who stood protectively in front of here-where he should be! His thoughts were nots humble enough to stay thoughts. Sneering angerilly at the two and glaring at them, he hissed out his thoughts.

**_"What the hell..."_**

"Gaara kun!"

_'Oh she said my name-going back to angry now,'_ he thought, watching her stand up and trot over to him.

"What is going on here?" he asked coldly, not looking at her but behind her at the two men who were looking at the ceiling and floor.

Temari sat a hand on her brother's shoulder before pushing him out of the way to get to her female friend and hug her. "Sakura chan, my baby! Come here and give me some love. God, I thought you were getting molested, you okay?"

"I'm fine, Temari chan, these are my friends from mist. I work with them and help them out...when they're not blackmailing me. Look at what my boss made me wear!"

"Everyone is looking, Sakura-trust me," she snickered, watching Gaara glare at her. He had wanted a hug from Sakura first. "Hey, isn't there someone you need to cool down before he demolishes the place?"

Sakura twirled on her heel and smirked at the red haired youth, knowing very well how harmless he could be in her presence. Everyone talked about how violent and dangerous he could be if he snapped, but she had yet to see him act in such a way towards herself. They were too close for that. Just like he would never snap at his sister or brother, they both knew he wouldn't snap at her. She smiled, coyly, tilting her head to the side, enjoying his presence. "I don't know Temari chan, is there?"

"Sakura chan..." he mumbled, looking like a small lost boy, his eyes big and watery. His hands were slightly spread, expecting a hug of some sorts sometime soon.

Sakura smiled brightly, squealing a bit before she moved in to hug him tightly, unconsciously sending him into euphoria.

_'Dang, how much of that is padding?'_

"I missed you guys. Where are you staying, I'll come over later and help unpack."

"Already done, or it should be by the time we get back. Kankuro and Baki lost bets."

"What did you play?" Sakura asked, eyeing him dangerously.

"Poker, of course."

Sakura rolled her eyes, knowing both men Gaara had mentioned had the world's worst luck, after her adoptive mother and herself. Neither of them stood a chance again a penguin, let alone master of the killing glare, Gaara kun! Even she couldn't beat him, and he went super easy on her. "That was incredibly mean of you, Pan-da kunnnnn," she taunted, dragging his name out.

Gaara looked down with a blush after hearing his nickname roll off her lips in such a teasing manner. If it had been anyone else that called out to him in such a childish way, he would turn their heads inside out and play golf with their pea sized brains, but because it was Sakura he was quick to forgive the nonexistent sin. Actually, (he would never admit this upon pain of death), but he really did like the nickname she had for him, stemming from their jovial childhood together. He wished he could go back to those precious days with only him and her and his siblings here and there.

_"Panda kun, that's mean, share your ice cream with me."_

_"But I only have one cone."_

_Sakura took a lick. "I don't care, it won't kill anyone."_

"When do you blow this bubblegum stand, Sakura chan?" the oldest female asked, wrapping an arm around Sakura's shoulders. "We got plans that need you."

"Plans, oh no, this doesn't involve anything illegal dose it?" Sakura asked with concern. The blond grinned cheekily and leaned down to whisper something in her ear. "Temari! That's pretty illigal...even for us."

"I know, so when do you get off?"

Sakura looked over at Haku and Kimimaro and gave them her best wounded puppy dog eyes. She didn't know this had the exact opposite intended, making the crushing males want to hold onto her and keep her with them even more. Thankfully, Gaara was in the background glaring up a storm startling even Zabuza. The old man had seen his share of scary characters in the ring, but Gaara was suprising for some reason, and that made him scary. Still, the sand boy was a long ways off from actually _scaring_ him. Zabuza didn't scare that easily.

"I think you're good for the day, Sakura. You can take off," her boss lazily stated, not wanting to seem intimidated.

"Really? Sweet, you're super cool right now, even though I still hate your guts for making me dress up like a moe," Sakura laughed before heading back into the locker rooms to change into her jeans and tank top.

Gaara took a steep towards her employer and intensified his glare. "Were you the one that made her wear that dress?"

"Yeah, what of it, _boy_?" Because that's what he was, compared to the aged demon of the mist.

"....You have good taste." Gaara turned halfway, preparing to leave when he stopped and pivoted back with a sickingly creepy smile. "But if I see her in public again where other human beings can see her in such a thing, you will regret it until the day you die."

"I'll be looking forward to i-"

"No you won't!" The underground boxer skipped out of the back room, tossing her bluish dress at Zabuza and sped past him with an eager grin. "I'm never stepping into that thing or anything like that ever again."

"Can we go now?" Gaara asked, holding open the glass door with an impatient air. The few other males in the room who did or didn't know Sakura sat like statues, watching the scene with intrust.

"By Haku kun, by Kimimaro kun," she called, waving over her shoulder as she stopped outside the threshold of door.

"Sakura chan, what about me?" Suigetsu asked in a whiny tone from behind the counter where he had ducked under once the textbooks started flying. Only now did he emerge.

Sakura grinned at him and gave him a little wave, but didn't bother to call out his name, wounding his pride. Behind Sakura's back Gaara glared at the pale haired boy and his brother stuck his tongue out and pulled down his eye lid in a juvenile insult he had learned from watching too many Pokemon shows.

Haku frowned, watching Sakura being ushered away by her red haired friend. Those two looked extremely close to the brown eyed worker. Around him Sakura was always laid back, but with Gaara she looked so happy and weightless. She wasn't never like that around him... unless he treated her out to slushes-but that was because she was on a sugar high. He fisted his hands and looked down with a depressed expression possessing his entire form. He hadn't even tried to keep her with her.

"Haku?" the younger boy looked up to see his friend by his side with a lighter version of his own expression. So Kiimimaro was sad too? "Its fine. She's known him longer and they've been apart for a long time, so it's only natural she act like that. Plus her girl friend was tagging along. Girls act different among their own kind, you know."

Haku lifted his head a bit and tried to smile, sending a few of the girls in the booths towards the back into a frenzy. "Kimimaro san, did anything you just said make _you_ feel any better?"

".......No, not really."

"I didn't think so, but thanks anyway. I'll just have to work harder."

The green eyed youth nodded as well, patting his friend on the back. "That's right, and we may stare with that horribly adorable dress of hers. She doesn't want to see that thing ever again, dose she?"

"But-"

"Don't worry, I'm sure Suigetsu got pictures, isn't that right, Suigetsu?"

The said male came out from behind the counter with his phone in hand and grinned. "Fourty eight in all. I'll have to download these along with the others before my phone explodes. Ooh, there's the one from out Christmas party! Dang that thing is old."

Haku smiled slightly, before going into the back with his older friend to destroy the lolita styled dress Sakura had worn only moments ago. She really did look pretty and he could see what he adoptive father wanted her to wear it, but something in him kicked him in the gut when he thought about other men looking at her when she was dressed like that. He didn't want other guys to see her like that....ever.

He stopped and stood where he was, the thought weighing down on him like a ton of bricks. He didn't want anyone else to see her like that, but at the same time there was really nothing he could do to stop or prevent it. He was really a pathetic person when it got down to it. The only reason he had even meet Sakura was because she had to come down from Suna to fill in for him in a boxing match.

Zabuza was the last one up to fight, going up against an older in a three+one match. (Three students and one teacher.) Haku was suppose to be one of the students along with one of two other co workers, but he was so weak everyone knew he didn't stand a chance. He got out on a faked injury claim and Zabuza was allowed to call in a sub from anywhere as long as she or he had studied under him.

That was the first time he ever saw her.

A long time ago Sakura had studied under Zabuza for a month or two alongside Kimimaro and another girl who was a year older than her, making her the youngest. Still, she was fierce in the ring and could easily beat the older student. Kimimaro spared with her a few times, but Haku was never around to see the end results and it was something neither of them would disclose. Even Zabuza wouldn't tell him.

She was really talented and absorbed all she wanted in such a short amount of time. She left before Haku came in, claiming there was a ring in the desert that didn't have her blood on it yet. A month and a half later, Haku joined up as a replacement for Sakura.

On the day of the fight she was late, coming in only seconds before they disqualified her. She didn't run in or sprint towards the matt with hurry like he though she would. She walked, calmly and evenly, ever steep strong and powerful. She dropped her bag by Zabuza's seat, never sparing him a greeting or a nod, and had Kimimaro come over to tie up her gloves.

Her hands were already wrapped so he only took two minuets. She was wearing red knee length shorts and a black tank top that covered her whole back. Most of the other girls wore outfits more revealing, showing off as much skin as physically possible. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun like knot with a small braid hanging from the right side, a sand colored bead tying it off at the end. The only piercing he could see on her were the small ones at the bottom of her ear. Her opponent had piercing just about everywhere.

By the time she got in the ring, her opponent was frazzled with tension, her nerves tingling all over. Haku felt sorry for the other girl, since he now knew she never had a chance going up against Sakura. It wasn't much of a fight, he hated to remember. Sakura stood there and took the first two blows like a stupid man would, turned to spit out some blood, and knocked the chick down with one blow. Normally the crowd would cheer and scream and hoot at someone going down, but there was an odd silence that gripped each and every last one of them.

One punch? Not possible.

"Call it," she said was a cold tone, turning to the ref who stood shell shocked. He did, naming Sakura the victor.

The pink haired suna fighter sighed to herself, never loosing her grim expression, and ducked out of the ring to retrieve her things and leave. She stayed in that room with Haku for approximately eight minuets, nine tops, and never did she take notice of him. At least, that's what he thought at the time.

In the end, Zabuza's team won three out of four matches, (their unnamed female companion being the only one who last her fight.) They went out to celebrate at the place where Kisame was living with his friends. Haku, feeling like an odd third wheel, decided to slip out to the community pool to pout and grumble about life. The only reason he had agreed to come in the first place was because that pink haired girl his friend called 'Sakura' might show up. She wasn't there, so he though it was pointless for him to stay around.

"You're out here all alone?"

He looked up startled and was surprised to see _**her**_ of all people, coming up to meet him. She wasn't wearing her fighting outfit anymore, instead she was dressed in pink and yellow, going barefoot. She looked more like a girl this way.

"Y-you're Sakura san."

She frowned, coming up to stand behind him. "Ugh, not really. Just Sakura will do, thank you very much."

"Ah, Sakura then." He could feel his face heating up.

She looked him over, like a man would look over a dog he was considering buying, and sat down beside him, dipping her feet in the water. "Why are you out here when everyone is in there getting drunk and singing Backstreet Boys songs? Don't you like them?"

"Why are you out here?" he countered, not wanting to answer the question. She noticed this and smiled.

"I don't like backstreet boys, and besides, I'm from Suna. There were a lot of betters in there that lost money because of me in other matches," she said, kicking her feet underwater and watching the ripples that made. "You still have to give me and answer, though."

Haku rested his chin on his knees and sighed, looking out towards the water. "I felt...like I wasn't... I don't think I should be in there because I didn't do anything. I was so pathetic I wasn't even able to fight. If Zabuza didn't call you in, we would have lost."

She leaned back and rubbed her head, the yellow clips that helf her hair clinked against one another. "Yeah, you're right, but still there is something that bothers me."

He looked up. "What?"

"Zabuza. He made me fight when I had a temperature of 102 degrees fahrenheit. I was puking all over the place and he still made me go into the ring. I twisted my arm real bad that day, and I lost horribly. I could barely stand, let alone walk out of there with dignity. It made me so mad that he would do something like that to me, But in the end I came out stronger...or at least that is what I have been told. I didn't notice a change."

Haku was shocked. "Y-you? He made you fight like that? But you're a girl!"

She grinned like a cat would to her milk. "I know. You would think he would have some mercy, but that man is a demon. He's torturing you right now in his own way. Me, the worse thing that could happen would be defeat and humiliation like that. He gave it to me. I don't know you very well, but I'm guessing you feel like shit now because of me."

She was scary smart. How could she come up with that after only a few minuets? "T-that sounds about right.

She nodded, pulling one leg out of the water before letting it fall back in. "And I'm betting the next time you go to training you're going to give it your all, 110%?"

"Probally."

She pulled both legs out of the water and stood up, hands on her nicely curved hips. "That's good. Kimmy kun and I are going to crash at my hotel and watch Spirited Away. I got an advanced copy from a friend of mine, but shhhh, don't tell anyone cause that's illegal. You wanna join us, Haku?"

She was inviting him over to her place? Even if it was with Kimimaro it was still a big deal to him. She had just met him and yet... He started to blush when he met her eyes and decide to look away. "I-If Kimimaro is going to be there I guess I could come."

-

Sakura sneezed from the backseat of Gaara's car.

"You okay sakura, you're not getting sick are you?" Temari asked, feeling the other girl's forehead.

"Nah, I'm fine. But I think someone was talking about me."

The eldest brother laughed from the front seat where he sat next to Gaara. Kankuro was the one driving of course. "Are you kidding, the way things looked when we busted in, I wouldn't be suprised if every boy in there was talking about you right now. Especially those two who were really close to you. They seemed like _friends_."

Gaara growled at what his elder brother said.

Sakura rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat. She was starting to remember how possessive and protective Gaara could be at times. "You don't have to worry about them. Those guys are harmless, it's the old man I have to look out for. Damn, I really want to kill my boss sometimes."

Gaara turned around in his seat real fast to look at her. "I could do that if you want."

Sakura laughed, and leaned forward to pat a curl out of his face. "Thanks Panda kun, but I'm good. I'll ask you when I really need some help, okay? Anyway, where is it we're going?"

Gaara smirked. "Wherever you want, Sakura, wherever you want."

-

* * *

You need to go check out Lady Hanaka's art for this. It's amazing, I tell you!

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**

-Vesperchan


	10. X

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav, and/or alert it if you enjoyed it, (or really just review, that's all).

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel really bad, seeing as how it's turning sour.

* * *

Chapter Ten

X

World on a string

-

-

A small trickle of sweet snaked down her pale porcelain colored face before falling off her firmly set chin. Sakura grunted loudly digging her gloved fist into the chest of her opponent sending him back a good five feet before knocking him out cold. Her chest heaved up and down panting heavily as the ref held up one of her arms to signal her win. Another win. The crowd rose up in burst and shouts of praise.

"Whatever," she mumbled ducking under the ropes around the ring and heading to her seat. Her head fell backwards over the edge of her metal fold up chair ignoring the many complements given to her by various underground boxers and illegal betters.

It was, after all, her eighth win of the night, something not many men could brag about and something even less girls could. So you could imagine how she stood out in a crowd. Gaara glared at the last guy to try and come up to talk to the young fighter, effectively scaring him off. Good thing his reputation hadn't lost it's touch this far away from home.

"You know when I said anything you want, I was thinking a nice restaurant or a movie or something a bit more...normal," the red head grumbled, not daring to say what he really wanted to say. 'Something more **romantic**.'

"I'm low on cash thanks to the move, and I haven't been here in weeks anyway. I need to stay in shape you know," Sakura lightly said, looking at her wrapped up hands. Maybe she would do a bare fist match next.

"There are gyms for that and you have me for money. I don't use all of it and even if I lived for a hundred years I don't think I'd spend it all," Gaara pouted.

Sakura laughed merrily before finishing her third water bottle. "Man, when will you men learn, I hate depending on others. Besides, I have to save up for when I'm too old to do this sort of stuff."

Gaara snoted. "You won't be fighting that long...will you?" The though of her fighting till she couldn't fight anymore made his heart feel like it was being assaulted with needles. He didn't like his precious Sakura fighting at all, but to fight for all her life was a nightmare.

"Nah, I want to do something worthwhile with my life, you know."

The needles stopped assaulting his heart. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Maybe write a book. I always used to love writing, but I don't have that sort of time these days."

"I would buy your book."

"You would be the only one."

"I'd still buy it."

Sakura shook her head, standing up and stretching. "You're really something else, you know that? Still, I'm glad you are my friend, panda kun. Now I'm going to sign up for another match and see if I can find someone. I want to see him fight, if that's possible."

With that said, Sakura skipped out of sight, melting into the crowd of jumping and cheering bodies, heading towards the counter where a friend was working that night. He seemed to spot her before she could see him. That was so like him.

"Hey, skittles are you going to sign in again or not?" a young boy a few years older that her named Idate called with a cheeky grin from behind the counter. "I want to see you fight again."

Sakura smirked hearing her old nickname the boy had dubbed her with. The two of them when way back even though she hadn't seen him in years. He used to watch her when her father was out at work a lot since he was three years older and picked up the name when he saw her turn from a sweet ideal doll faced daughter to a angry she-demon with a savage bloodlust for those who picked on her. The name skittles came from the word Schizophrenia, a medical term that meant 'split mind'. Schizophrenia was too long of a nickname so he shortened it to skittles after her odd behavior. That plus she really liked skittles.

"Yeah sure thing Idate, just give me a second will ya. Jeeze can't a girl have a moment to breath here?" she asked, putting on annoyed expression coming up to the counter and entering her name to the board of contestants for tonight's fights.

"Well you know you could always quite your job here as a cage boxer and become my wife," the brown eyed boy teases playfully. He was always bugging Sakura about her profession not being the best choice for her and how settling down and becoming a housewife was much more relaxing. Even though he now had a girlfriend (finally) he still teased her, saying he would dump Aphrodite herself if Sakura wanted it.

"Sorry Idate kun, I thrive on this thrill. There is no way I'm settling down anytime soon. I'm going to live my life out to it's fullest," Sakura chuckled adding the kun to his name in a teasing way.

"Ah well you can't blame a guy for trying. But if you ever get board of this my offer still stands Skittles," he chuckled watching her take another swing from her pink colored water bottle with her signature cherry blossom design etched along the side.

"Yeah, well I wanted to ask you something about a fighter that may be here tonight."

"What's the name?"

"Sasori of the red sand."

Idate's eyes lit up. "He's from Suna too, then. Yeah I think he's here tonight, but he's in the V level. You know, for the weathered and older fighters. You could probably get in if you win this fight. You are the female champion of Sand, aren't you?"

"You can hook me up, then?"

"You know I can. Come back after your match and I'll make it happen. But there is one thing you should know about your opponent," Idate drawled, looking at the sheet with Sakura's newly signed name on it. "He's a huge sexist and the rumors about him and a lot of the younger girls aren't good."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "How young?"

"Thirteen to fifteen, I know it's sick, isn't it?"

Sakura was already reaching for the gloves at her hips and pulling them down, over her fisted hands. Her eyes were cold and hard, just like Idate expected them to be. "Move up our match, I'm feeling energized and I don't want this high to die down."

"It's next, you better get over there!" Sakura was gone before Idate could finish his sentence.

Climbing under the ropes she scampered to the center of the ring and readied herself. Her opponent stood opposite of her with his gloves in front of his face in a defensive position. He looked to be about twenty and in great physical shape. Even if he was kind of young, she felt repulsed.

"Sorry but this is personal," she mutter before that match started.

DING

Less than two minuets later the man from before was being carried away on a stretcher severely beaten by the tiny pink haired girl who was once shaking with pent up rage.

Later after Gaara had met up with her, he too had received a V level pass, thanks to his dad, and chose to follow Sakura down to the tougher level. The already were at an S level, one of the three most dangerous levles, but after that came V, and then X for only a _small_ handful of the best of the best. Sakura still had a way to go before she got there. Above them were A,B,C,and D levels, none of them worth mentioning.

Downstairs, the rings were larger and the matches longer. The fighters were better trained and were normally at the top of their game. In the ring was a young man with slicked back silver hair and another with brown hair in a tight braid. They both looked like they had been fighting for a while, but the man with silver hair looked to be enjoying the pain and fatigue while his opponent was having a hard time standing up. A few hits later, the man with silver hair and purple eyes was standing over his fallen opponent.

"Who is it you are looking for, Sakura?" her friend asked, leaning in to whisper into her ear, hoping she shivered or reacted in that manner. She didn't.

"Sasori of the red sand, tell me if you see him, Gaara."

"Why do you want to see him?" he asked, grumbling at his failed sudection.

Sakura looked over the room once more, taking a step closer to the ring. "Not so much him, but I want to see him fight. I might have to go up against him one day so I want to see how he moves."

This startled the young boy. "F-fight him? A V level guy like that? My, God Sakura, he has access to the X floor, you know. He's way out of your league! You should just leave that type of guy alone for another year." If she lost or got hurt too badly he would never forgive himself.

"That's why I want to see him fight. I don't plan on taking him down tonight, relax," she laughed in reply coming up to a guy real close to the ring. "Hey mister, I'm looking for someone. Do you know where I could find Sasori of the red sand?" She flashed her Suna burn and he seemed to take intrust.

"I'd like to help you lady, but a guy like that can't be disturbed by anyone, ya know. VIP and all...."

"I'm not just _anyone_."

"I know who you are, lady, but that's not enough." He paused for a moment before a crafty grin broke out. "But I'll tell you what I will do. Hidan here has gone undefeated the whole night and he gets bitchy if he doesn't get a good workout if you know what I mean. You can last five minuets in the match with him and I'll let you see Sasori-that is if you are still standing. And the catch is that this is a free hand match. You still up to it little lady."

"No she doesn't do free ha-"

"I'll do it!"

"Sakura!" Gaara hissed, eyes wide.

"What, I'm still young, I'll live. And besides, I don't even have to take him down, just last five minuets." She was already stripping her hands of their gloves and making sure her sneaker boots were laced tightly.

"You baka, a free hand fight is anything goes! He could bite you and give you AIDs or-" before Gaara could say any more Sakura had vaulted into the ring and given her nod of approval to the ref. There was nothing he could do now to stop the match.

"You had better take care of yourself, Sakura."

Hidan turned from his friend and better Kakuzu to see who it was he was fighting. He was disappointed to see it was a girl, and even more so to see it was a small girl with pink hair. Really, pink hair? She looked okay in the chest area (_really_ okay), but that only made him not want to fight her even more. He liked opponents that could make him feel pain, something few could, but she didn't look like she could hurt a fly.

"You fucking kidding me?"

"Don't just write her off, she had to be good enough to get to the V section."

"Yeah yeah, whetever you say, you miser ass. I'll just get rid of her so I can have a new opponent. Fucking bitch is going to regret it." Cracking his neck, Hidan took his spot and gave his nod to the ref, bring the match to life.

She was fast, that much he would give her, but she didn't look like she had any guts, since she wasn't swing any punches of her own. He swung too wide and she twisted to come behind him and let loose a few good kidney punches. They hurt, surprisingly. He though her fists wouldn't be able to do anything, but they were pounding on him like cement blocks or worse.

He turned to face her and faked a left swing, getting her to dodge right into his fist. She wasn't expecting him to use anything like that, and was thrown to the other side of the ring.

_'Did I end it too soon?' _he wondered, seeing her fall against the ropes.

She used the ropes to her advantage though, and bounced right back with a high kick to his face. Pain broke out along his senses as blood gushed form his nose. _Sweet_, **glorious** pain. She was getting better and better by the minuet.

He grinned widely and she filched.

Sakura rolled away from Hidan and side stepped around him, trying to avoid him for the most part. He was good, really good. Nothing like what she first though. Pain didn't seem to hinder him and he looked like he was still fighting with the same amount of energy he had at the beginning of the match. It was scary how he didn't weary.

Just like her.

Both of their hits were knock out moves. Her kicks to the face were deadly and yet he looked like he was just kissed, it did that little. Likewise, his punch was a killer ending move. Few if any came away from that still standing, let alone fighting. For a minuet there she thought she was a goner, but her healing abilities had kicked in, eliminating the damage. She had underestimated him and she was paying for it. She didn't know if she would still have enough energy after this to walk home.

No time to think this through, he came at her swinging, aiming for a grab. She tried to get out of it, and did the first time, but he was bigger by a great deal and was able to grab her and flip her upside down over her shoulder on his second attempt.

'_Perfect_'

With her on his back, he fell backwards, putting all his weight on her. Blood jumped from her mouth and she could feel her ribs give under the weight. A few of them cracked and the bruises were already starting to form. It hurt a great deal and she hated it. She was healing, but it was slower that before. Bones were a whole lot harder to heal that anything else in her body, so she should expect that.

_'It's time I really got serious about this,'_

Her blood thickened and her core body temperature began to rise. Her heartbeat and lungs picked up the pace and just like she planned it, she was feeling little to no pain. If she was going to be saddled with this degenerating disease, might as well use it's perks.

Screwing the five minuet plan, she came at him charged with a full ton of force behind her hands. He tried to dodge and block, but she was too fast and too powerful. She kneed him in he gut and then flipped him over, ready to dive at him once again but he rolled out of the way and her fist slammed into the floor, filling the room with the sound of her hand meeting a solid force.

Hidan looked shocked, but she refused to stop. He would feel her pain, she was make sure of that.

Using her right hand to slap away his arms and send him off balance, she pulled her left arm back, curling each finger individually before letting it fly into his chest, sending him over the ropes and into the stands where people were scattering.

He didn't get up.

Her famous five finger death punch had taken another victim.

People were crowding around Hidan, shocked to see him out cold thanks to a girl. A girl half his size with pink hair. Who would believe that?

Sakura jumped over the ropes, down to where the man and Gaara were waiting for her and stilled. Her hands were beginning to turn black from the blood underneath her skin. She turned her back on them and snatched up her fallen gloves, slipping them on. This was bad. She would have to go home early tonight. Her plans with Sasori would have to take a rain check since she absolutely could not let anyone see her once the full effects set in.

"Come on Gaara, let's go. I need to use the bathroom and I'm more tired that I though."

"A-aren't you going to stay and meet Sasori of the red sand?" the man from before asked, shocked over everything that was happening.

"Not really. I wanted to see him fight, but not anymore. Now I want to sleep. You coming Gaara?"

The sand lover was by her side in an instant, throwing a arm over her shoulder when he noticed she was feeling queasy. He didn't really know about what was going wrong with her, but he figured that it was a female thing and decided to leave it at that. His sister had threatened him so bad when he once tried looking into it, that he feared even asking about it. It didn't matter, he didn't need to know what was wrong. All he needed to know was how he could help her.

Sakura looked up at Gaara and smily dizzily. She couldn't really see straight anymore but she wouldn't dare let anyone know that. She would blame it on the late hour and head for home where she could sleep away for a few days. She could skip school tomorrow.

"Let's go home, panda kun."

"Sure, Sakura chan, anything for you." He was glad when she didn't protest to the light kiss he placed a top her head.

-

Meanwhile in the VIP stands, a few very influential figures had been watching the fight with wrapped attention.

"Holy shit, man is Kakuzu going to be so pissed, there goes all his money for the night. He was betting high on his friend, Hidan. Too bad Sakura chan kicked his ass," Deidara chuckled happily, leaning back in his black leather seat. He couldn't stop grinning at what he saw before him. His little Sakura friend was getting more and more interesting as the days went by. Tonight was definitely not a let down. He was glad he came.

"You can say that again. I don't want to be around when he starts bitching," Kisame laughed, not really meaning it. He was too busy searching for Sakura in the mess of males and other V class fighters. She was walking out with some annoying looking red head handing in her shoulder.

"You can say that again, un."

"Will you two shut up. You are both annoying," Sasori grumbled, playing with something in his hands. Now that the match was over, they were being loud and he didn't enjoy that. He briefly wondered if he should go down and try to catch up to Sakura and congratulate her, but decided against it, knowing he was going to get mugged if he took a step out of his VIP box. Still, he wanted to talk to her. Maybe he could do that at school tomorrow.

"You're just as annoying, Sasori, what with your crappy fighting style you dare to call art, un."

"Care to try that again, Iwa dirt?"

"I think I will."

"Okay you two, I'll have to deal with enough fighting tonight with just Kakuzu bitching about his money and Hidan about his loss, so would you please keep the peace in here. Any fighting should be done in the ring out there," Itachi sighed, rubbing his eyes.

Deidara and Sasori decided to let their insults drop and settled for turning away with sour looks.

"Speak of the devil," Kisame hissed, grinning in eagerness. He just loved bitch fights, and boy, could he smell one coming on. A lot of guys in here liked Sakura (including him) and Kakuze was sure to run his mouth off on curses to her name.

The door slammed open and in stalked one pissed Kakuzu. If looks could kill, they would all be six feet under. "That damn she devil! I'll fucking skewer her, I swear the bitch is going to get it one of these days! You know how much I lost on that damn fight, huh? How much I fucking lost? And there were so many damn betters, too. Damn I'll never get over this. And you, ya damn bastard. What are you doing in all of this? Standing there like a log? Wake up, damn it!"

Most of them froze when the saw the silver haired member limp into the box.

"Hidan?" Itachi called out, confused.

"Hn?" the silver haired man asked, his eyes glazed over and his cheeks red.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah."

"You sure?" Sasori asked, seeing it too.

"N-never...better...."

For a while, there, no one said anything, it was too incredible. Then of course, the ice had to be broken by somebody, and since the loudest member was feeling strangely mute, the task was left up to the newest blond.

"...Holy shit he's lost it, un! His brain is screwed over. The lost must have been to damn much for him," Deidara ranted, grabbing his head and falling backwards into his chair. "He's not even cursing! I've never seen that before!"

"You really okay man? You look like you took it rough," Kisama said, concerned not for Hidan, but for Sakura.

"Yuh..." Hidan nodded, staring off into space, remembering the glorious feeling of pain as an angel with flowing pink hair sent him soaring. Never before in his life has he ever seen such a divine sight. Her fighting face as sweat rolled off her lips and down her shirt between her breasts. Her hands as they curled into fists that delivered the most thrilling feeling in all of existence. She was a goddess worthy of all his worship.

Mentally he recalled the symbol on her shirt and decided to fashion a necklace after it. A white circle with his own triangle in the center, symbolizing how they were meant to be. While he was at it, he might as well just set up a shrine for her in his closet. Oh, and maybe he should start stalking her. He already knew her name so with a little help it shouldn't be that much trouble. Yes, that is what he would do. He would devote everything he was to her. His divine angel, his lovely goddess.

-

Sakura was drifting off fast in Gaara's ride and after throwing up that much blood in the girl's room, she was looking forward to sleep.

The radio was playing as her eyes drifted close.

I see the world on a beach  
It's sinking in the sand  
Oh it tries to suck you down with it  
You better get out while you can  
Sometimes you wanna scream out  
And sometimes you just can't  
Cause your lips  
Feel like they're glued together  
And no one gives a damn

-

* * *

You need to go check out Lady Hanaka's art for this.

How do you like it so far. Who do you want to see Sakura with more? I have a bit more of Gaara in mind, but I really like the older guys, if you know what I mean by that. Thankfully in this chapter, one of them seems to have fallen head over heels in love with her...so much that it's a bit creepy.

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**

-Vesperchan


	11. XI

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav, and/or alert it if you enjoyed it, (or really just review, that's all).

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel really bad, seeing as how it's turning **sour**.

* * *

Chapter Eleven

XI

World on a string

-

Sakura rolled over and pulled her second pillow over her head and moaned in her sleepy state, trying to block out the annoying sound of her alarm clock.

"Why do they have to make these damn things sound so annoying?" She growled kicking the device against the wall while rolling over.

Smiling to herself as it was silenced. Her smile melted though when it started up again after a brief pause. It was now on the other side of the room and she would have to get up in order to turn it off. So much for a few more minuets of sleep. Rolling out of bed she crawled over to her blaring alarm clock and picked it up. Smiling sweetly at it she slammed it brutally into the ground, breaking it into a thousand tiny pieces.

"Kuso…that's the third one this month, " she mumbled shakily stumbling to her bruised up legs before heading into the shower. She would need another dosage of drugs before going out, it seems...

Stripping down to naked skin, she slid into her shower and turned the water on, hissing to herself as it came out like liquid ice to her warm skin. At least she was awake now. Shivering she reached out for the shampoo and squirted a bit into her hands before lathering it into her hair. She was about to reach for the body soap when she heard Temari knock.

"Sakura? You in there?"

"No, I'm a serial rapist taking your friend's virginity in the shower," Sakura called over the sound of running water, having to stick her head out from behind the curtain to be heard.

"Okay, good. As long as you don't come after me," Temari laughed from on the other side of the door.

"It's nice to know you care."

"I'm running down to the corner store to get something to eat, you have like nothing eatable and your milk is sour."

"Bring me back a cinnamon roll and a slushie, cherry flavored," Sakura called, turning the water off so she could let the conditioner in her hair settle for a few minuets before she had to wash it out.

"Will do, love. I'll be back in a few."

After Sakura's fight with Hidan, Gaara had brought her home, where she passed out on the couch, only to wake up the next day with Temari hovering over her like a mother hen. The eldest sister of the trio was the only one Sakura had really shared her secret with, out of choice. Others knew, sure, but that was either because they found out on their own or were told by someone else. Temari was closer than a sister to Sakura, and so when she came home after a match she won looking like shit, The elder would go into overdrive protective mode and shoo the boys out so that she could tend to the younger female alone.

It hade been two days since her fight and she had yet to attend school or work. School wasn't that big of a deal, and Sakura knew the guys at work would understand since they came from the underground as well.

For those two days, Sakura had spent all her time either resting or studying the matches that were posted online. She was discouraged to see that after her 'victory' Hidan got right back up and proceeded to win four more matches before retiring for the night. Seeing as how she couldn't lift a finger in protest after walking out, it hurt her pride to actually count that match as a victory. Hidan was obviously the stronger of both of them. She had see it in his moves during the fight, he wasn't really trying. He enjoyed pain, it seems like, so he let a lot of attacks through, even though she knew he had the ability to block and/or avoid.

_'So that is the power of an S class fighter?'_

Maybe if she trained for a month without using the antibody...no that was dangerous.

Used to fighting only girls, it was only natural for her to be frustrated when her male opponents didn't blow over and fall down. That's how it had always been because of this damed cell disease. She fought, healed, then fought some more then won. By these guys in the S level were something else. Were they all like that Hidan guy?

Now clean, she turned the water off and climbed out of the shower, grabbing a towel off the nearby rack to pat her body down. Once she was dry enough not to soak anything, she slipped on some panties and her school top-a white button up. Looking for her skirt, she turned over a few stray articles of clothing but couldn't find it. If she turned up at school one more time without her uniform she would seriously be in trouble.

Skipping out of her bathroom she slid open her closet and started rummaging through the articles of random clothing that had been tossed there earlier. She threw a boxing glove over her shoulder, followed by a sneaker and then a neck tie. Why was her closet such a huge mess?

'I just had that damn thing," she hissed, turning around to look over her room once more. Maybe she left in in her living room. Giving up on her closet, she ran into the larger room and started looking through the piles of newly washed cloths that were stacked up on her desk, next to the television. She heard a knock on her door and turned around to see that it was unlocked. Temari must be back with the food.

"Come on in, I left it unlocked!" she called, turning back to her laundry, making a mental note to herself to give Temari her spare key in case of emergencies.

She heard the door open and someone walked in. When Temari didn't say anything Sakura turned around to glare at her friend, only to freeze in shock. That was not Temari.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, turning red when she saw what he was looking at. Sure she had a shirt on, but she was still missing her skirt, remember? Bright red and orange laced panties were clearly in view.

"Y-you said to come in, un," Deidara stuttered, red in the face.

Seeing as how he was still staring at her panties, Sakura picked up a couch cushion and threw it at his face breaking off his view. Before he could recover, she pulled a blanket from on the couch around her waist. "Stop staring you pervert!"

"I'm not a pervert-you just surprised me, un!" Deidara complained.

"Sure, whatever, but what are you doing her an hour and a half before school? Screw that-how the hell do you know where I live?!"

"The teacher wanted me to come here and make sure you were okay, since you haven't been showing up at school. He gave me the address. I had to wrestle eight other guys to get the honor and here you attack me after inviting me in. You're so mean, un."

"I didn't invite you in, I invited Temari in and you just happened to be there. I'm coming to school today so you can go, alright! I'm all better."

"So you were sick, un?"

Sakura growled, not at all in the mood to talk to this guy after what he just walked in on. "Yeah, something like that, but I'm already better now so you can leave. I promise I'll show up in school today so there's no other reason for you to be here."

Deidara smiled wildly and let his hands fall into his pockets as he adopted a casual expression. "Aw, but I wanted to talk to you, especially after seeing you deck Hidan in that fight last time you were Underground. I haven't see you since then, un."

Sakura froze, her anger mostly forgotten. "You were there?"

"VIP seats, baby."

It all clicked suddenly and morbidly in her mind as his words settled in her mind. "You're from the S class?!"

Deidara simply chuckled and held up his hands in a V sign for victory. "Yup, un."

"How the freaking hell did someone as scrawny as you get into S class?" Sakura seethed, more angered by something like that than the face that she was still missing her skirt or that he had invaded her house so early, uninvited.

Deidara's smile fell and he suddenly looked very sullen. "Hey, that was mean. What do you mean by scrawny?"

"You wear skinny jeans for peat's sake."

"So do you!"

"That's different, 'cause I'm a girl, dipweed."

"You don't have to go and call me names, Sakura. Geez, and I cam all the way over here to see if you were okay. But what do I get. Insults and names. Che-what could you possible mean by scrawny. I'll have you know I'm rip and very studly."

Sakura laughed, not at all trying to hide it. She was amused with both what he said (seriously, studly?) and what he was trying to tell her. Him, rip? That was something to laugh about. "Oh please, I can't believe you can say stuff like that after hanging out with Kisame. That, is what you would call rip, Deidara."

The blond Iwa bomber huffed, his cheeks a deep shade of pink-almost red. For Sakura of all people to be insulting him was really a blow to his pride. He wasn't scrawny, he would show her that and prove her wrong. "Don't say stuff you know nothing about. I am rip, though not as much as Kisame, but I am rip and I'll prove it to you!"

Sakura eyes widened when she saw him reach for his band shirt (cause he never followed the dress code and nobody bothered to make he wear the uniform as long as he hung out with). Before she could say anything he had pulled it up over his head to expose his finely chiseled abdomen that was indeed, as she would call it, rip. Sakura stood there, frozen with a dark blush across the bridge of her nose as he tilted his head to one side and smirked at her expression. What was he doing, standing like that? It was almost as if he were posing for her.

"Sakura they didn't have cherry flavored so I got-WHAT THE HELL?!"

Sakura and Deidara both turned to see Temari standing in the doorway, food in hand with a very pissed expression.

Never come between a mother bear and her cub, especially if you look like you're about to molest her.

-

Somewhere in back of the school...

"She loves me, she loves my worship, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves my worship, she loves me not, she lov-"

"What are you doing with that?"

Hidan quickly threw away the poor tormented daisy and turned on his heel, pulling himself up to his full heigh, so as to banish any doubt of him being a pushover in whoevers mind it was he had been spotted by. The boy that stood behind him with a irritated, (and was that concerned) face was almost as tall as Hidan, with sleeked back hair the color of dark honey. Hidan sneered, pulling out his tough guy act.

"What's it to you, punk? Can't a guy screw flowers in his own fucking time?"

The boy didn't seem fazed by the language or the tough guy act. "Not the flower, the picture in your hand. Why do you have a photo of Sakura?"

Something inside Hidan snapped. "You know who Sakura is?"

Juugo made a face, looking at the older male as if he were stupid for asking such a question. "Do I know who she is? Please..." he reached behind him and pulled out a binder, opening it up to two pages filled up with a collage of Sakura photos. "I'm her number one fan."

The underground boxer's eyes sparkled with joy, and his curses were forgotten. Clapping a hand on the younger boy's back he laughed loudly and deeply. "I like you, I think we have a lot to talk about."

-

After Temari took care of Deidara, she called up her brother and demanded he drive Sakura to school and keep an eye on her, knowing her little brother wouldn't mind in the least. And the truth was, Gaara didn't. He was overjoyed to be able to spend this extra time with his love intrust.

"We're so late," Sakura grumbled noticing the time on her watch. Mickey Mouse's hands were a bit too far past the numbers for her liking. Getting to school early was one of her things, she didn't know why she had to or wanted to do it, but she did. Maybe it was so that she could avoid the stares from the last minuet kids, or so that she could find a good seat in the back of the classroom. Either way, she liked being early and today with her best friend, she was _late_.

"So? It's no big deal. It's my first day here so they won't mind too much. I'll just tell them I got lost or something like that," Gaara hummed, pulling into the parking lot with a bored expression.

"What about me? Ch, it's not my first time so I'm going to get into trouble, " she complained, looking for an logical reason that merited her whining and complaining privileges. "I've already skipped too many days as it is."

"No you won't."

"How do you know?" Sakura hissed in a grumpy tone, turning off the radio that was set on a hard rock station playing a new Disturbed song. Opening her door before the car had come to a full stop she grabbed her black messenger bag and hopped out.

The red haired sand fighter shrugged, dislodging his key and stuffing it into his pocket. "I'll just tell them I met you on my way here and asked you to show me the way since I was lost or some thing. You won't get in trouble." Gaara reassured coming up to her side.

Sakura rolled her eyes slaming the door behind her. It was so like Gaara to stick his neck out and make sure Sakura didn't get in trouble like she would today. She used to tease him and call him her knight in sandy armor. It annoyed him when anyone other than her called him that.

Back when the went to school in Suna, Gaara would always take the blame whenever Sakura got into one of her more physical fights, since his father could bail him out of almost anything. She told him he didn't need to but he would always tell her to shut up and forget about it. Sakura smiled at the memories and Gaara looked at her in a weird way. She just laughed softly and shook her head clearing her mind of the old memories.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I just was thinking about when we went to school together in Suna."

"Ah," Gaara replied turning to look ahead of him while the pair walked through the front doors and down the hallways.

There were a few stragglers who looked liked they were planning on skipping their classes. Most of them were male and almost all of those males turned and stared at Sakura. Those few females stared at Gaara. The pair ignored the looks they were getting and continued down the hall with an air that seemed to say, 'W_e rule this school, step pack slave_!' And truly, it wasn't a lie to say that they looked regal when they walked. Like a king with his queen.

Gaara held up some papers Sakura took as his schedule. One thing you needed to-or at least you should-know about Gaara was that he was always two steeps ahead of everyone. Sakura grabbed the papers and scanned though them.

"You're in luck we have most of our classes together…in fact the only class we don't have is gym…Ugh, great. You bribed Kankuro to change your schedule to match mine except for gym knowing I wouldn't do that anyway," Sakura sighed shooting Gaara a knowing look. What was she expecting from this guy anyway?

"Now what would make you think that? I did nothing of the sort," Gaara replied keeping his eyes set ahead of him and his voice even.

"Gaara…" Sakura said drawing his name out like a mother would with a disobedient son.

"…I didn't bribe him I threatened him okay. You happy now?" He grumbled stopping outside their classroom.

"Yeah," she giggled, sliding the door open for the two of them.

Iruka turned from the board and frowned at the two walking into his classroom. He didn't like late kids, even if they were smarter than the rest of the class. "Ah… finally Sakura is here to grace us with her presence. It's good to see you found our new transfer student. Care to join us or do you prefer the hallway?"

Sakura kept up a cold expression as she and the red haired sand dweller stepped into the classroom. There were too many people in the room to express so much emotion.

"Gomen Iruka sensei. Gaara got lost on the way over so I stopped and helped him out," Sakura explained bowing slightly and keeping her voice down.

"Ah I see just make sure it doesn't happen again, you may take a seat now Sakura san while Gaara introduces himself."

Sakura smirked briefly to herself feeling Gaara's displeasure. He hated talking to people like this. Shrugging her shoulders she took a seat in the back tucked away in a corner where there were not many people who could easily look at her. She didn't _like_ people looking at her.

"Gaara why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you." Iruka suggested.

"…" Gaara turned towards his teacher ad unleashed one of his more powerful death glares.

"Or you could find a seat and we could start class."

"Hn…"

Naruto rolled his eyes from three seat in front of Sakura. "Great, another Uchiha."

-

* * *

I updated in less than a month, woho!

How do you like it so far. Who do you want to see Sakura with more? I have a bit more of Gaara in mind, but I really like the older guys, if you know what I mean by that. Thankfully in this chapter, one of them seems to have fallen head over heels in love with her...so much that it's a bit creepy.

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**

-Vesperchan


	12. XII

**AN/ **Yes, this is the new Softer than Scarlet. I ask that you please review, fav, and/or alert it if you enjoyed it, (or really just review, that's all).

**Disclaimer**/ (laugh) No! I don't own Naruto and I don't think I ever will. So, you can stop asking me now...It's starting to make me feel really bad, seeing as how it's turning **sour**.

* * *

Chapter Twelve

XII

What Was it you Wanted

-

-

-

You know there's this saying...the more you love something the more you hate it. How can you love something that you hate, or hate something that you love? Is it possible. What if you used people? How can you love someone you hate and hate someone you love?

-

Some time later in the month, Sakura was fortunate enough to find herself **alone** during lunch period. She never found herself alone at any time of the day, and lunch period was the time she was the least alone. She though for sure she was going to get mobbed on the way out of class, but all her work was paying off, it seems. No one found her-even though many of them looked, called, and asked others about her, no one had seen her leave.

Yesterday had been a mess with Naruto and Gaara. Neither one seemed to want to leave her side or shut up about whatever it was they were disagreeing on. They Naruto tried to hug her, only to get his face pressed up against the wall by none other than Hyuga Neji. Gaara looked pissed when he saw the new arrival, but didn't say or do anything other than pull his favorite girl closer to his side.

"Possessive male hormones," she murmured to herself.

Curling up in the Janitor's closet with her ipod, Sakura took out her ham and cheese sandwich and tore a huge chunk off before turning the music on. She always seemed to be hungry these days. Especially with all the fighting, she burned off whatever she ate before long. In another two bites, she was finished with her sandwich and was busy with an apple.

Shadows flickered and danced under the doorway, telling Sakura that there were people moving outside, probably running. Whoever it was, he was male and bigger than average. For a second Sakura though it was Kisame, but quickly pushed that thought aside as soon as it came. Lately, he and a few of the older seniors, have been trying to get her to join one of their clubs. A club that had to deal with the underground fighting rings.

Joining a club at this point in the year would be pointless unless it was something they planned on continuing after graduation. And graduation was in how many weeks? She used to be counting down the months but now there was no time left for that. In a matter of weeks they would be out. Five and a half if she remembered correctly. If she wanted to, she could make this her last year at school and just take community collage classes. That was what a few of those guys were doing...

She tossed the core of her apple back into her lunch bag and reached for a cheese stick, a worried look overtaking her features. Akatsuki...they were a group she would have to look out for in the future if she decided _not_ to join their ranks. They wanted her to be a part of them, that much was obvious. How much did they want her, that remained to be seen.

The warning bell rang, pulling Sakura out of her thoughts.

The shadows outside her door shifted once more, but Sakura still crawled out, even though she knew someone was there, waiting for her. The door bumped his shoulder and stopped her from opening it up all the way. Looking out, she saw Sasori standing there with a smug look as she slipped out.

"Are you finished in there?" he asked.

"Maybe I am. What's it to you?" she countered.

He smiled, holding out his hand to take her books for her. "A good deal, since I though I would walk you to class."

"I think that sounds like a good idea."

She handed him her book with a tired smile a leaned against his arm, the usual blush no longer in place. Lately Sasori seemed to show up around her more and more, reenforcing their newly budding friendship. She felt a good deal at ease around him compared to some others from his club like Itachi or Deidara.

'_Seriously, have you seen how tight his skinny jeans are? He's like the gayest straight guy I have ever met._'

"So Sakura, have you given any though to what you want to do after graduation?"

She looked up, a bit puzzled. "Not really. I though I was going to stay in school for another year or so. Why do you want to know?" she asked, even though she knew the answer he was going to give her.

He didn't look down at her as they walked, even though he could feel her looking up at him. "Fighting men in a square prison shouldn't be a life long goal. You have some pretty high grades, don't you? Have you ever though about going into business or something honest? Something you can really do with your life. It's a shame for you skills to go to such a waste if you do not plan on ever applying them."

"What about you Sasori? What are you going to do with your life?" she asked, her tone light, though both of them knew she was a lot more absorbed in the conversation then she let on.

"Business, my friends want me to do it with them, but I'm thinking that sometime in the future I will branch out on my own. Maybe after a year or two with them. Where do you think you'll be then?" She looked up at him and stopped, forcing him to do the same and turn to look down at her. "Well?"

"I don't know. To be honest, I never expected to live that long."

-

Early mornings at the cafe Sakura worked at were relatively peaceful, with only a few customers here and there to ask for coffee and cake as they worked on papers laptops. It wasn't until later in the day did the cafe overfill with the rowdy males that were almost always there just to see Sakura. Still, there was a significant majority of female customers for Kimimaro and Haku and Suigets that were often worse then the males in volume. Some of them could giggle like a marine's whistle.

Sakura was cleaning a table out front when an older man walked in. She put down her cleaner and pulled out her note pad to take his order.

Haku was behind the counter, making sure the cakes on display were as elegant as possible. He paused in his work to watch Sakura talk with her customer, and found himself smiling to himself without consciously knowing about it. It wasn't until Kimimaro pinched him in the arm did he stop.

"K-Kimimaro? What is the matter?" he asked, surprised.

"For starters, your attitude at work. You nearly toppled over that display cake," replied the while hared boy while pointing to the Strawberry Shortcake Delight that was handing off its stand by two and a half inches.

Haku squeaked in shock and quickly moved to fix his mistake. "Ah, oh no, I'm sorry, it's my fault."

"Yes it is..." Kimimaro lightly commented in a bored tone, content to watch his friend fix his mistakes. Somehow, Haku managed to make it worse and had to try even harder to fix what he had messed up. Still, the girls watching him blushed and giggled to their friends about how cute he looked.

Kimimaro turned his eyes to see Sakura making small talk with her customer, being friendly in her own pleasant way. The man pulled out his paper and gave her a pleasant nod when she walked away. When she got back to the front, Haku was still having trouble with the cake. Sighing like a mother used to cleaning up her children's messes, she opened the window from the from and fixed the cake herself. It was already cut up into several different pieces, some being decorated with nuts, others with icing or sprinkles, so it fell apart easily, but Sakura was graceful with her moments as Haku provided her with a base to slide it back onto.

"Really, you shouldn't be playing with these things from behind, if you are going to rearange them, do it from the front. Haven't I already told you this once?"

"T-that was Sui san," Haku replied, sheepishly.

"Still, you should know better."

"Sorry."

Sakura closed the class cover and walked around the counter to slid a slip of paper into the back. Someone took it and began preparing the order. Kimimaro was watching her for the most part, but he couldn't help but let his eyes stray towards his coworker, who was much more obvious in his actions.

"Haku," he said, earning the boy's attention. "How long have I know you?"

"Eh, I don't know, a few years- five at least."

"How long have you know Sakura?"

Haku smiled a bit to himself, making Kimimaro's insides tighten. "Four years, maybe more. Why do you ask?"

The male with light green eyes looked away. "No reason, I just felt like asking."

"Then what about you? How long have you known Sakura?" Haku asked.

Kimimaro didn't reply at first, he just watched Sakura come out from the kitchen with that man's order. She brought it to him with a smile and then walked away, untying her apron as she went. "Sakura, where are you going?" Kimimaro asked, _**not**_ concerned but surprised.

"I'm leaving early. You guys can take the lunch rush without me, can't you? It's raining so I don't think you will have a whole lot of people."

"Is something wrong?" Haku asked.

She smiled, but shook her head all the same. "Nah, I just feel like going home or taking a walk. There's been a lot of crap on my mind lately and I need to sort it all out. Suigetsu should be coming in soon for his shift, so tell him hi from me, okay? See you all around!" she called before slipping out the front door with her hoodie in hand. They watched her through the window till it was impossibly to follow her with their eyes.

"Since I was six."

"Eh? Haku asked, surprised with what his friend said out of the blue.

"Ever since I was six years old...that's how long I've known her.

-

Sakura spun a much abused tooth pick around in her mouth as she walked though the rain, wearing her Black and white colored hoddie that was almost two sizes too big for her, making her gender hard to determine from far away. She preferred it that way.

With the end of school right around the corner, it was the rainy season in this part of the leaf country. Sakura stopped walking to stare up at the sky, watching as raindrops fell towards her face, wishing away the dirt the clung to her skin after being pushed up against a wall during rush hour on the streets. Back in Suna it would be dry and hot and miserable. God, she was so glad to get out of that. She loved Suna and all, but it was a desert for crying out loud. There's only so much love anyone can hold for a desert.

She was about to start walking again when something made her still. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she reached in to her coat's pocket to grab her cell phone and flip it open. From the blank screen she could see behind her, but nothing stood out as dangerous. Everything looked okay Sakura cursed all the same ramming it back into her pocket and taking off.

Something was wrong and it was making her gut do somersaults. That sixth sense that had kept her alive for so many years was pricking her in the back of her neck making her hair stand on end and fly in front of her face as she sprinted through the park. There were a few kids still there, finding the rain to be something they enjoyed and she almost ran over one when he darted out in front of her.

The green eyed girl kicked off and tried jumping over a park bench to avoid a collision with the little boy, but the ground was wet and slippery making her trip as she tried to take off. Sakura groaned cursing her luck as she felt one of her rib bones snap and stab her insides.

"Damn." She hissed darkly. She would need to get home and rest before she could run again.

Climbing to her feet, she winced at the pain in her side, but pushed on, feeling the prickling sensation start to take affect. Her bone was healing it's self now. Wow, even with the meds she was taking, her healing rate was increasing at a frightening speed. She was almost out of the park when a pair of blindingly bright headlights flashed in her eyes making her hiss and fall backwards once again. It didn't help her pride any that someone behind the lights was laughing at her. And not just anyone, but someone she really hated to see.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she hissed folding her legs underneath her body and pushing herself up slowly as to not aggravate her broken rib.

"Ah so you remember me this time Sakura chan! I thought you would forget me once again and I would have to save you _and _tell you my name," Sasuke taunted with a laugh.

"Cut the crap, Uchiha, I'm having a really bad day and I don't need you to show up and make it any worse that it already is," Sakura shot back sassily, stuffing her hands deep into her pockets and starting to march in the other direction.

"That's too bad, because I had some news I thought would make you're bad day a bit brighter," he called back from under his smokey black umbrella as if he hadn't a care in the world. It was a tone that reminded Sakura of an inside agent. She didn't want to, but she stopped and turned around just enough to see his face. He was smirking.

"What is it? Are you leaving the country, because if you aren't I'm really not interested." She turned to leave, hoping his news was light enough for him to just let her go. If it wasn't, he was definitely call out to her and stop her.

"No in fact my news concerns you and a business deal from three years ago."

Sakura froze in her tracks and stopped dead. Her eyes widening as her pupils shrank a few sizes until they were only slits. Stiffly she turned around to face the dark haired boy who was now grinning from ear to ear, seeing his plans fall right into place. Sakura thanked God it was still raining and he couldn't see her angered expression from where he stood. She fisted both hands and maneuvered her body so that she was facing him. She tried to keep her heart beat down and rein in control of her emotions, knowing that a well placed poker face in this sort of situation could be worth its weight in gold.

Spiting her toothpick out, she glared at him. "What the hell do you want Uchiha?"

Sasuke's smirk grew at her words as he opened his car door, offering it to her. "Lunch. I'm to retrieve you for someone else in payment of a longstanding debt. That's not to say I don't want to be the one with you "

The female fighter narrowed her eyes and inwardly kicked herself for what she was about to do. It could be a trap for all she knew. She didn't know if he had any proof of her past or if it was just a guess. He could be just baiting her with empty words gambling to see if she would come or not. She could say no. Say no and run away. But what if he did have proof of night so long aog in a room that smelled of long dead bodies? Would he bring them out in the open and have her…?

She cursed outwardly seeing his smirk stay where it was. He knew he had all the cards in his hands and that there was no way she could get out of this. He knew she would have to come with him sooner or later. All he had to do was wait and she would come.

"I bet you're getting cold standing in the rain like that Sakura chan. Are you sure you don't want to go down to a nice café my family owns and have a pleasant conversation?" Sasuke taunted shaking some rain off his umbrella.

A café his family owns. That was code for 'a privet place I can talk without worrying about the law'. Sakura knew she had to go with him. If she didn't he could ruin all her plans up to now. It was terrible to know your back was up against a wall and there was nothing you could do about it. She felt caged. "I hate you Uchiha Sasuke," she hissed before sliding into the car's back seat with the said male following in after her.

She wasn't too surprised to see one other Uchiha waiting for her inside the car. Itachi looked up when she slid in across from him. He didn't look as cocky as Sasuke but she could still see something like a smirk in his eyes as he watched her.

"Sakura...I did not think you would come."

"Did I have a choice?"

"I should hope not."

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There ya go. A bit of this might look familiar, from the original.

**_PLEASE REVIEW!_**

-Vesperchan


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